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59 different items were taken for sampling, the principal ones
being milk, sausages and ice cream. In addition 71 samples of
ice cream and 68 of milk were submitted to the Public Health
Laboratory Service for bacteriological examination. Details of
these appear on pages 41, 45 and 46 of the report.
The Milk (Special Designations) (Specified Areas) Order,
1951, was made by the Minister of Food on 27th July, bringing
into operation on the 1st October, 1951, in certain areas
including the Urban District of Merton and Morden, Section
19(1) of the Food and Drugs (Milk, Dairies and Artificial
Cream) Act, 1950. This sub-section relates to the compulsory
use of special designations for retail sale of milk.
Water Supply. The district is supplied by the Metropolitan
Water Board and by the Sutton District Water
Company. Their respective distributive areas being
approximately the parishes of Merton and Morden.
The supply of the Metropolitan Water Board is only
sampled infrequently as a routine, otherwise samples are taken
when circumstances indicate the necessity for local investigation.
The Board supplies copies of their official minutes in which the
results of the examinations are recorded.
Routine examinations of the Sutton District Water
Company's supply are undertaken by the Authorities in the
supply area upon an agreed rota, which provides for
bacteriological and chemical samples each month. The Company,
in addition to the examinations undertaken by their own
full-time Chemist, arrange for Consulting Chemists to undertake
monthly examinations. Copies of the reports of these
Consulting Chemists are received by local Medical Officers of
Health whilst the records of the Company's own analyses are
available for inspection by the Medical Officers.
There are three deep wells in the district, the supplies from
which are used mainly for industrial purposes. They are drawn
from beneath the London clay. The boreholes vary between
400 ft. and 500 ft. in depth and their capacity between 3,300
galls. and 7,000 galls. per hour.
Eight samples of water from domestic taps were submitted
for chemical or bacteriological examination. The reports on
each sample were satisfactory.
Public Cleansing. The Council took over the collection of
house refuse themselves in October, 1909. It had been
previously done under contract. From that time a weekly
collection has been maintained with the exception of occasional
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