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Louse infestation is much too prevalent, and is due solely to lack of personal
cleanliness it is not confined to school children and is found in factory and
work-place. The problem of the persistently verminous children or family is a
difficult one and is usually not one of uncleanliness alone.
PET ANIMALS ACT 1951 - This Act is designed to regulate the sale of pet animals
and the main provision is that no person shall keep a pet shop except under the
authority of a licence granted in accordance with the provisions of the Act Under
the provisions of this Act, 8 premises in the Borough have been licensed and 14
visits of inspection were made during the year
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD
MILK - At the end of the year, 12 dairies were registered under the Milk and
Dairies Regulations. During the year, 52 inspections were made at dairies and
retail purveyors' premises Under the Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 40
licences for the sale of 'tuberculin tested' milk 45 for the sale of 'pasteurised'
milk, and 53 for the sale of 'sterilised' milk were issued
The Milk (Special Designations) (Specified Areas) Order, 1951 came into operation
on 1st October, 1951 This Order defined the County of Middlesex as an area
in which the use of a special designation becomes obligatory for the purpose of all
sales of milk by retail for human consumption (other than a catering sale) The
special designations permitted are 'sterilised', pasteurised and 'tuberculin tested'.
Complaints of milk being supplied in dirty bottles continue to be received.
The number is very small in relation to the large issue to the public The consumer
can help by the hygienic care of the bottles which should never be used for any
other purpose than to hold milk. After use, they should be well rinsed in cold water
to remove any milk residue.
ICE CREAM - Under the Food and Drugs Act, premises used for the sale or the
manufacture for the purpose of sale, of ice-cream, or the storage of ice cream intended
for sale must be registered This does not apply to premises used primarily as
a club, hotel, inn or restaurant and only to a theatre, cinematograph theatre, music
hall or concert hall if the ice-cream is manufactured on the premises The number
of premises registered at the end of the year was 218
The Ice-Cream (Heat Treatment etc.) Regulations require all ice-cream except
complete cold-mix powders, to be heat treated with a view to killing any pathogenic
organisms which may be present and lay down the temperatures at which mixtures are to
be kept before and after heat treatment - these temperatures are such as to discourage
bacterial growth
The Regulations also require that ice cream shall be protected from dirt, dust
or other contamination The enforcement of these Regulations calls for regular
and persistent supervision of premises, plant and methods of manufacturing and
handling
During the year, 169 inspections of registered premises were carried out. The
following results were obtained from the bacteriological examination of samples:-
Satisfactory Doubtful Unsatisfactory
Ice-Cream 43 14 10
Water Ices or 'lollies' 21 2 4
Milk ices 2
Rinse water 1 - -
The percentage of doubtful and unsatisfactory samples was 31 2 as compared
with 114 in 1955 This was largely due to efforts to trace the source of trouble
at one producing plant,
BAKEHOUSES There are 20 bakehouses in the Borough and 123 visits of inspection
were made during the year.
SLAUGHTERHOUSES, etc. - There is no public abattoir, private slaughterhouse or
knacker" s yard operating in the Borough.
SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1954 - No application for a licence,
under the provisions of the Act, has been received.
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