London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Southall 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southall]
This page requires JavaScript
The following table shows items of unsound food which were investigated during the
year.
| Article | Vendor | Condition | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheese cake | Local baker | Mice excreta (slight) | Warning letter to baker |
| Bread loaf | Local baker | Particle seed oil | No action |
| Sliced bread loaf | Outside Southall | Mice excreta (slight) | Warning letter to baker |
| Australian beef | Local shop | Tuberculosis | Representationsto Min |
| istry of Food and Trade Commissioner, Commonwealth of Australia | |||
| Pork pie | Local shop (made outside Southall) | Mould | Warning letter to local shop |
| Bread loaf | Local baker ... | Grease... | Warning letter |
| Chocolate marshmallow | Supplied by local shop | Mould... | Surrender of 51 dozen |
| tea cakes | (made and sold outside Southall) | cakes at local shop | |
| Haricot beans | Delivered to local factory | Dead beetles (spermo-phagus) | Referred to Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries |
| Chocolate cake | Local shop (made outside Southall) | Mould | Prosecution: Fine £5 and £3 costs |
| Butter | Local shop | Embedded false tooth | Letter to packers |
| Shelled nuts | Local shop | Fragments of glass | Stock surrendered and destroyed |
| Bread loaf | Local baker | Piece of wood | Warning letter |
| Irish beef | Local shop | Tuberculosis | Referred to Smithfield Market and Ministry of Food |
| Jelly sweets | Local shop | Piece of needle | Letters to wholesalers and manufacturers |
| Mincemeat | Local factory | Human hair | Not confirmed—no action |
| Chocolate powder | Local shop (made outside Southall) | Maggot | Letter to manufacturers |
| Fruit pie | Local cafe | Alleged rodent hairs | Allegation not confirmed |
RODENT CONTROL
There was no change during the year in the Council's policy of carrying out work
free of cost at domestic premises; offering technical services to business and industrial
premises where a commercial operator is retained, or carrying out the work at economic
charge where it was within the scope of the Council staff.
Sewers were test baited twice during the year, in June and December. 10 per cent.
of the total sewer manholes were tested and maintenance (i.e. pre-baiting and poisoning)
treatments were carried out immediately after each test. Infestation of the sewers by
rats remains slight.
Opportunity was taken throughout the year to extend the area of inspection to cover
neighbouring properties when investigating infestations of rats or mice at both domestic
and business premises.
NOISE NUISANCE
During 1953 complaints of noise nuisances were received concerning 5 firms. In 2
cases no nuisance was established, in 2 cases the nuisance was remedied, and in 1 case
(stonemason's yard), although a nuisance was confirmed, no remedy was possible.
33