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

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Brent 1969

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Brent]

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Public Health Inspectors inspect food premises and stalls (Table 34) regularly and give verbal or
serve written notice to improve the standards of food hygiene. Improvements in some premises are still
either in progress or arrangements are being made for them to be carried out (Tables 35 and 36).

For contravention of the Regulations of 1960 and 1966, legal proceedings were authorised by the Council with the following results:-

Hawkers
(a)Two contraventions—Fined £15.0.0 £7.7.0 costs.
Premises
(a)Two contraventions—Fined £35.0.0 £5.5.0. costs
Persons
(a)One contravention—Fined £7.0.0 £2.2.0 costs.
(b)One contravention—Fined £5.0.0. £1.1.0 costs.
(c)One contravention—Fined £5.0.0 £2.2.0 costs.
(d)One contravention—Fined £5.0.0 £1.0.0 costs.
(e)One contravention—Conditional Discharge—£1.0.0 costs.
(f)One contravention—Fined £10.0.0 £2.2.0 costs.
(g)One contravention—Fined £10.0.0 £2.2.0 costs.

INSPECTION OF POULTRY
There is no slaughtering of poultry carried out in the Borough, but some nine thousand ready-plucked
table-birds are eviscerated and dressed at one hundred and thirty shop premises every week, considerably
more, of course, immediately before Christmas. Of close on half-a-million carcases dressed per annum, by far
the greatest proportion are broilers, perhaps ten per cent are turkeys (principally at Christmas and Easter)
one per cent made up of culls, ducks and geese.
The number of visits made to premises in connection with poultry dressing was 166. Disease appears
to be rare in the birds reaching the shops in this Borough and no birds were condemned.
With the great number of birds being dressed at so many establishments, often at irregular times,
it is not practicable to institute a system of poultry inspection to cover all carcases and apart from spotchecks
the Department relies on the butchers to retain carcases of which they had any doubt for examination
by the Inspectors.
PREMISES WHERE FOOD IS PREPARED
Premises which manufacture or sell ice-cream or prepare or manufacture sausages, potted, pressed,
pickled, or preserved foods, including cooked meat or fish intended for sale, must be registered by the
Council. If the Council refuses or cancels a registration, the owner can appeal first to them, and if unsuccessful
to a court of summary jurisdiction (Table 37). Nineteen applications for registration were received during
the year, 13 in respect of ice-cream and six in respect of preserved food premises, and they were all granted.
Premises where ice-cream is manufactured are kept under close supervision. Most of the ice-cream
sold in the Borough is manufactured outside the district, and is usually pre-packed. The ice-cream reaches a
high standard of purity (Table 41).
EDUCATION IN FOOD HYGIENE
Lectures illustrated with film shows, filmstrips and bacteriological cultures were given to school
leavers and other interested groups.
FOOD UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
Twenty-three cwts. nineteen lbs. of meat inspected by the Public Health Inspectors was found to be
unfit for human consumption and was dealt with as trade refuse.
SLAUGHTERHOUSE
There is one private slaughterhouse licensed in the Borough and two slaughtermen are licensed to
work in it. Particulars of inspections, carcases inspected and condemned are shown in Table 38.
THE LIQUID EGG (PASTEURISATION) REGULATIONS, 1963
There is no plant engaged in the pasteurisation of liquid egg in the Borough, but local use of this
product is high owing to the presence of a large biscuit and cake manufacturer. In fifteen bakeries large and
small, the annual consumption is some fifteen hundred tons, of which only two tons are imported.
Nine samples submitted to the alpha-analase test were found to be satisfactory and inspections of
confectionery bakehouses revealed no use of bulk egg from unauthorised sources.