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36
The Ministry of Food Meat Depot at No. 8 Shore Road supplying
butchers' meat and offal to six London boroughs inchiding
Hackney, required almost daily visits of inspection, and considerable
quantities of home-killed cattle and imported calves
had to be inspected.
To many the re-appearance of ice-cream came as a welcome
addition to a restricted diet, but to local authorities it was not by
any means an unmixed blessing. The limitations of the supplies
of suitable materials for manufacture, and the fact that so many
new manufacturers entered the field of production, many with
little or no experience, added to the difficulties of the Inspectors.
Even when produced under ideal conditions, with the ingredients
now available it differs from paperhangers' paste only in that it
contains a little fat, flavouring and sugar. Some anxiety is felt
as regards the large quantities of this product which are reaching
the public after passing through various supply channels. For
instance, some manufacturers supply ice-cream to distributing
agents who in turn supply shopkeepers and stall-holders. Each
stage in these transactions might provide an opportunity for contamination
and would render more difficult the work of the health
authorities in tracing the source of cases of food poisoning which
might result.
There was an increase in the number of food stalls in the street
markets following the cessation of hostilities, and the work of
inspecting the stalls and the places where the food is stored added
to the duties of a depleted staff who endeavour not only to maintain
but to improve the conditions under which perishable foodstuffs
are stored, and to raise the standard of cleanliness and soundness of
food exposed for sale by the licensed stall-holders.
With reference to the milk supply, at the end of the year one
cowkeeper, 71 dairies and milkshops, 98 dairymen (including those
whose premises are situated outside the Borough) and 256 purveyors
of milk in sealed receptacles remained on the Register. In no case
was it found necessary to refuse registration or to remove a retailer
from the register under Section 22 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938.
Under the Milk (Special Designations) Order 31 principal
licences and 10 supplementary licences were granted. Of the principal
licences 3 were in respect of pasteurising establishments, 1 was
for a tuberculin-tested bottling establishment, 18 were dealers'
licences for the sale of pasteurised milk and 9 were dealers' licences
for the sale of tuberculin-tested milk.