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OUTBREAKS OF FOOD POISONING, AND CLEAN FOOD
CAMPAIGN
During the year, one case of food poisoning was notified. The
patient was a youth attending a school in a neighbouring borough.
The investigation was inconclusive, and it was thought the boy may
have taken some article of food causing sickness and diarrhoea. He was
admitted to hospital, but no organism was recovered. He was the only
case in his household.
The byelaws for securing the observance of sanitary and cleanly
conditions in connection with the handling, wrapping and delivery of
food and the sale of food in the open air, confirmed by the Minister of
Food in 1950, came into operation on the 1st January, 1951.
Following the introduction of the byelaws, all shopkeepers handling
food throughout the Borough were circularised and asked to display a
notice, which the Department provided, directing customers to leave
their dogs outside the shop. The Sanitary Inspectors, during the course
of their routine inspections, were of opinion that the greater number of
shopkeepers were pleased to co-operate with the Department, and display
the notices.
The Sanitary Inspectors have continued to intensify supervisory
control, and have been in close touch throughout the year with the
catering trade, giving advice and talks where necessary on the subject
of clean food.
It is possible that cases of sickness and diarrhoea which might be
classified as food poisoning are not brought to the attention of the
Department. The general public and general practitioners frequently
do not take the incidence of this type of disease seriously, and very
rarely do they ask for administrative action. As a result, it is almost
impossible to give a proper statistical picture of the amount of intestinal
infective disease occurring in the population. From information received,
however, from other sources, it would appear that such disease is more
widespread than it was before the war.
NUTRITION
The general standard of nutrition amongst infants and toddlers
attending infant welfare centres continues on a high level. No gross
vitamin deficiencies were noted and it would appear that mothers are
taking full advantage of the Government scheme for the provision of
welfare foods. Since the transfer of the services to the Surrey County
Council, proprietary brands of vitamin preparations, in addition to those
provided under the Government's welfare food scheme, have been offered
for sale at reduced charges to parents attending infant welfare centres.
This service has been much appreciated, as many children cannot digest
cod liver oil, and, in some cases, orange juice.
SHELL FISH (MOLLUSCAN)
Only a small quantity of shell fish is marketed in the district, and is
obtained chiefly from Billingsgate Market, London.
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