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
Chingford 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Chingford]
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23
FOOD HYGIENE INSPECTIONS
The regular and frequent inspection of all food premises, stalls
and vehicles was continued. In particular the drive to improve the
hygiene of meat carriers' vehicles was sustained.
The majority of the food trade co-operated in practice and in spirit and a high standard of cleanliness was observed generally. Regretfully, a minority of traders were neglectful and legal proceedings were taken as follows:-
| Fine | |
|---|---|
| Dirty restaurant kitchen | £30: Costs £5-5s.Od. |
| Dirty meat van | £25 |
| Dirty meat van | £20 |
| Dirty ice cream van | £14 |
| Dirty restaurant kitchen | £98 |
CHEMICAL EXAMINATION OF FOOD AND DRUGS
65 samples of food were examined by Dr. J.H. Hamence, F.R.I.C., and
Mr. P.S. Hall, F.R.I.C., the Council's Public Analysts. 53 of these samples
were purchased at random from shops in the Borough and all were found to
be genuine and satisfactory. The remaining 12 were the subject of
purchasers' complaints.
One of the latter, a canned orange drink, was found to contain an
excess of lead and iron which had resulted from the action of the acid in
the drink on the metal of the can. This made the drink unfit for human
consumption. Further tins were examined and the contents found to be
similar. As the result of this one complaint, hundreds of thousands of
tins were withdrawn from all over the country for destruction, and the
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is giving serious attention to
the canning of acid products.
UNSOUND FOOD
2,304 lbs. of various meats, 403 tins and 371 packages of food were
found to be unfit for human consumption. This food was condemned by the
Public Health Inspectors and destroyed under their supervision.