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
Hillingdon 1966
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hillingdon]
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Environmental Health
95
Inspection of Food Premises
| Type of Premises | Total Number | Visits Made | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butcher shops | 136 | 605 | |
| Aircraft Catering | 9 | 92 | |
| Dairies and Milk distributors | 60 | 91 | |
| Fishmongers and poulterers | 43 | 279 | |
| Food Factories: | 55 | ||
| Bakery and Confectionery | 3 | ||
| Biscuits | 1 | ||
| Butter Blending | 1 | ||
| Caramel | 1 | ||
| Coffee and Chocolate | 1 | ||
| Confectionery | 1 | ||
| Manufacture of Drugs etc. | 2 | ||
| Meat Products | 2 | ||
| Soft Drinks and Mineral Works | 2 | ||
| 14 | |||
| Grocer shops | 205 | 979 | |
| Greengrocers' shops | 97 | 438 | |
| Ice Cream premises and confectioners | 202 | 322 | |
| Ice Cream distributors | 38 | 85 | |
| Bakehouses | 20 | 174 | |
| Bakers' shops | 52 | 190 | |
| Aged Persons' Homes, Hostels and Day Nurseries | 19 | 62 | |
| Staff Canteens | 128 | 508 | |
| Hospital kitchens | 10 | 64 | |
| School kitchens | 57 | — | |
| School kitchens (private) School Dining Centres | 6 21 | 159 | |
| Hotels, restaurants, cafes, public houses and clubs | 260 | 970 | |
| Totals | 1,377 | 5,073 | |
The proprietors of two restaurants were prosecuted during the year for offences under the Food
Hygiene Regulations. Both were found guilty.
Some of the bacteriological counts have been millions per gram. As has been mentioned, the
plate count does not reveal pathogenic organisms but highlights failures in hygiene.
A number of multiple shops within the Borough make a practice of displaying cooked meats at
ambient temperatures which of course fluctuate considerably. Temperature checks of shop windows
revealed cooked meat on display in temperatures ranging from the upper sixties to the lower seventies
(Fahrenheit).
The companies concerned were approached and the dangers inherent in this form of display were
emphasised. It was claimed that the methods adopted, namely exposure of cooked meats in small