London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hounslow 1967

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hounslow]

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Collection is carried out weekly, or more often
by special arrangement from individual premises.
Disposal is by controlled tipping.
'The introduction by the borough council of a
dustbin replacement scheme has removed the
necessity for time consuming processes for the
provision of new dustbins and the costly litigation
which sometimes ensued. Arrangements for
storage of refuse were however improved at 38
premises as the result of informal action.
Common Lodging Houses
'There are no common lodging houses in the
borough.
Food and Drugs Act 1955
Milk—Brucella Abortus
'There are no milk producers in the borough, but
60 samples of raw milk were taken from
individual churns received at the one pasteurising
dairy and examined by the consultant pathologist
at Harefield hospital. Two samples were adversely
reported upon and the information forthwith
transmitted to the authorities in the producing
areas.
Eggs, poultry and meat
'There are no egg pasteurising plants, poultry
processing establishments, slaughterhouses or
knackers yards in the borough.
Other foods and drugs
'The borough council is participating in the
national investigation into pesticides residues in
foods and 22 samples of various foods specified
by the public analyst were procured and sent
to him for this purpose
'503 routine samples of a variety of foods,
153 of drugs and 15 of milk were procured and
sent to the public analyst in addition to 28
specimens received or procured in connection
with complaints or suspected irregularities under
investigation. Adverse reports were received as
follows:—
Analysis Labelling
Foods 14 23
Drugs 7 8
'Eight prosecutions under Section 2 of the Act
and three under Section 8 resulted in fines and
costs totalling £303 5 Od. Mould and foreign
bodies continue to be the greatest hazards. The
remaining infringements were dealt with
informally and resulted in the modification or
withdrawal of formulations and the correction
of labels.
'19,450 lbs 16,213 tins 250 jars and 277
packets of unsound foodstuffs were surrendered
to the public health inspectors, together with
20,879 packages of defrosted frozen foods.
Bacteriological examinations
'Samples are examined in laboratories of the
Public Health Laboratory Service and ice-lollies
are checked for pH value in the department. 30
ice-lollies were procured and so examined and
found to be satisfactory, and 174 samples of
ice-cream, 1 of milk and 2 of sliced meat were
sent to the laboratory.
Milk and sliced meat—No pathogenic organisms.
'The percentage of inferior samples of soft
ice-cream especially when sold from vehicles
does not indicate a maintenance of the high
standards achieved by the trade in recent years
in getting to the consumer a product in the best
bacteriological condition. Constant vigilance
is necessary to ensure that a pure product loaded
on to a sales vehicle is served to consumers in
that condition towards the end of a long day
on the road.
General
'Investigation of complaints of unsound food and
disposal of condemned foods as distinct from
food hygiene inspections recorded elsewhere,
involved 638 visits by public health inspectors
and 347 by the van drivers. Sampling visits
number 582.
82

Results were as follows: —

Ice-creamFrom vehiclesFrom premises
Grade111111IV111IIIIV
Soft ice-cream213173811
Other12148124511