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21
Repair work to the value of over £250,000 has been carried out
and supervised by the Public Health Department, and it is fitting
here to pay tribute to the excellent co-operation given by local
building contractors and builders' merchants.
Food and Food Premises.
The quantity of foodstuffs condemned continued to be high.
The Ministry of Food salvage organisation was set in motion by
various circulars, notably 2640 and 2468; and more recently 2886,
which advised local authorities on the appropriate steps to be taken
and also stipulated the minimum quantities which would justify
removal by that department. The removal of condemned foodstuffs
for salvage raises the objection that the authority ordering the
condemnation are prevented from supervising the disposal of the
condemned articles.
Milk.
During the year the Government published a White Paper
(Cmd. 6454) on Measures to Improve the Quality of the Nation's
Milk Supply. The aim of the White Paper is one which cannot
fail to commend itself to all interested in Public Health. It is
interesting to note, however, that Ministry of Health Circular 2879,
referring to Special Designations, contains the following reservation:—
". . . . it is not possible to maintain the quarterly inspection
"of herds and carry out the White Paper proposals".
Further provisions contained in the White Paper relative to the
heat treatment of milk, are now included in Statutory Rules &
Orders No. 65, by which the Ministry of Food are to define certain
areas as "specified" areas, and all milk sold therein shall be "heat
treated". This Order is enforced by the Food and Drugs Act, the
Middlesex County Council being the responsible authority; thus
dual control may occur—the local authority being responsible for
pasteurised milk and the County Council for heat treated milk
other than pasteurised.
Reference should also be made to the service which, happily
up to the present time, has not been required—namely, the poison
gas food decontamination service. The personnel of this service