London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hackney 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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Legal proceedings were taken in respect of biscuits infested with weevils seized from a grocery and provision shop following a complaint made to the department:-
| Offence | Result of proceedings | Fines | Costs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | ||
| Having in possession for sale food intended for but unfit for human consumption. | Fine and costs imposed | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Selling food intended for but unfit for human consumption, | Fine and costs imposed | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
SECTION 10 (Examination of food and seizure of unsound food). This Section
enables an authorised officer of a local authority to examine any food intended
for human consumption which has been sold, or is offered or exposed for sale or
is in the possession of, or has been deposited with, or consigned to any person
for the purpose of sale or of preparation for sale, and if it appears to be
unfit for human consumption he may seize it, and remove it in order to have it
dealt with by a Justice of the Peace,, The weevil infested biscuits referred
to under Section 9 were seized and taken before a Magistrate, who made an Order
for their destruction.
The bulk of unfit food was
| Tons | Cwts. | Qtrs. | Lbs. | Oz. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacon | - | 1 | 1 | 18 | 4 |
| Bread, cakes and pastries | - | 9 | |||
| Butter, lard and margarine | - | - | - | 2 | - |
| Cereals | - | - | 2 | 16 | 2 |
| Cheese | - | 2 | - | 21 | 10 |
| Eggs and dried egg powder | - | 1 | - | 20 | - |
| Fish | - | 7 | 2 | 23 | 15 |
| Flour | - | - | 1 | 14 | 8 |
| Fruit and Vegetables | 8 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 12 |
| Jam and Marmalade | - | 2 | - | 18 | 10 |
| Meat, Poultry and Game (Tinned) | 1 | 8 | 1 | 22 | 15 |
| Meat, Poultry and Game (Carcase) | 1 | 3 | - | 7 | 2 |
| Milk (Evaporated and Condensed) | - | 9 | 3 | 23 | 6 |
| Pickles and sauces | 1 | 17 | 1 | ||
| Sweets | 1 | 7 | - | - | - |
| Tea and Coffee | - | - | - | 1 | 2 |
| Miscellaneous | - | 6 | - | 25 | 13 |
| 13 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 4 |
The main causes which rendered the above foods unfit were:-
Fruit and Vegetables (tinned) "blowing" due to unsatisfactory
processing or storage.
Fruit and Vegetables (fresh) decomposition.
Carcase meat, poultry and game decomposition.
Milk (Evaporated and Condensed) decomposition.
Fish decomposition.
Cheese decomposition.
DISPOSAL OF UNSOUND FOOD. Tins of unsound food were pierced at both ends
and taken to the Borough Council's wharf on the River Lea for shipment by barge
to a controlled tip. Small quantities of carcase meat were disposed of in the
incinerator at the disinfecting station and larger amounts were, after staining,
sent to firms for commercial purposes.