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
Chigwell 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Chigwell]
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the day our now rather tired pie returns to the refrigerator until the
procedure is repeated the next day and the day after that. If we are
lucky the pie is now so covered in mould no person would eat it, if not
somebody is going to suffer and from eating a pie which had an unexpired date!!
The number of food premises in the district is as follows
Bakehouses and shops 17 Fish shops 12
Butchers' shops 27 Greengrocers' shops 24
Catering premises 108 Grocers' shops 38
Confectioners 42 Wholesalers 3
Premises registered for the manufacture or sale of preserved foods 26
" " " " sale of ice cream 85
Itinerants " " " " " " " 5
" " " " " " food 34
(d) Food Inspection:
In addition to the routine inspection of food offered for sale many
requests are made by local food traders for examination of food items. Comment
is sometimes made that such requests have only a commercial basis and concern
unmarketability rather than unwholesomeness. This is probably true but improving
and safeguarding the public's food is one of the most important of a Public Health
Inspector's duties and any action which assists this work is considered to be
worthwhile. The difference between unmarketable and unwholesome is always
tenuous and the principle must be to reject doubtful food rather than place the
community at risk.
A total of 3.787 tonnes and 238.14 litres of food was rejected during the year. The details are as follows:-
| Carcase meat | 178.63 kg |
| Offal | 17.68 kg |
| Cooked meat and meat products | - |
| Canned meats | 10.61 kg |
| Other canned foods | 2,669.40 kg |
| Fish (fresh) | 41.75 kg |
| Fruit and vegetables (fresh) | - |
| Frozen foods due to cabinet breakdown | 319.32 kg and 216.14 litres |
| Other foods | 549.72 kg and 22.00 litres |
(e) Imported Food:
On occasions food is imported directly into the district without
examination at the port of entry. When this occurs the Port Health Authority
are obliged to notify the Local Authority but there is no obligation on the
importer to retain the food for inspection or to notify its arrival. Consequently,
the Inspector must be prepared to wait at the importer's premises at any time of
day or night when food is expected, presuming of course that the notification
arrived before the food. Fortunately, a good relationship has been established
with the importer in this district, all food imported during the year was
inspected and within reasonable hours. However, a legal requirement that an
importer must notify the Local Authority of the arrival of uninspected food and
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