London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Southall 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southall]
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The number of inspections of registered food premises during the year was 524. Standards
found on inspection are high, with the exception of storage premises of street traders,
which require constant checking.
Education in food hygiene continued in food shops, catering establishments and school
canteens, and the canteens in schools and in certain factories were kept supplied with meals
specimen jars, samples being retained for 48 hours after each meal. As food poisoning
cases did not occur in the factories or schools, the value of having these jars was not tested.
The following table shows the quantity of food examined and the disposal of condemned food.
| Total Inspected (lbs.) | Sound | Unsound | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (lbs.) | Stock (lbs.) | Production (lbs.) | Consumption (lbs.) | Total (lbs.) | Animal Feeding (lbs.) | Byproducts (lbs.) | Destruction (lbs.) | ||
| Canned | 82,369 | 6 | 6 | — | — | 82,363 | 33,424½ | 1 | 48,937½ |
| Raw | 56,576½ | 8,571 | 3,007 | 50 | 5,514 | 48,005½ | 21,423 | — | 26,582½ |
| Totals | 138,945½ | 8,577 | 3,013 | 50 | 5,514 | 130,368½ | 54,847½ | 1 | 75,520 |
The following table shows items of unsound food which were investigated during the year.
| Vendor (and source) | Subject of Enquiry | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Local Shop (made outside Southall) | Piece of glass in sausage | No action |
| Local Shop | Maggot in chocolate powder | Letter to manufacturers |
| Local Shop (made outside Southall) | Grease in brown loaf | Referred to Health Department controlling Bakehouse |
| Bottled outside Southall | Dirt or Rust in bottle of milk | Referred to Health Department controlling dairy |
| Local Shop (canned in South Africa) | Maggot in tinned peas | Referred to Importers |
| Local Shop (made outside Southall) | Matchstick in sandwich cake | Warning letter to maker |
| Local Shop (made outside Southall) | Insect in bread loaf | No action |
| Bottled and sold in Southall | Black particles adhering in empty milk bottle | No action |
| Made and sold in Southal | Drawing pin in cake | No action |
| Local Shop (made outside Southall) | Mould in wrapped bread loaf | No action |
| Local Shop (made outside Southall) | Grease in sliced loaf | No action |
| Local Shop (made outside Southall) | Particles of glass in pickles | Warning letter to manufacturers |
| Local Shop | Fruit cake alleged to be tainted | Not confirmed |
| Local Shop (made outside Southall) | Wasp in sugar lollipop ... | Warning letter to manufacturers |
| Local Shop (made outside Southall) | Piece of string in wholemeal loaf | Warning letter to baker |
| Local Shop | Can corned beef alleged to be unsound | Not confirmed |