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9
BAKEHOUSES.
In the earlier part of 1921, we had many faults to find
with the methods prevailing in some of the bakehouses, such as
unwashed hands, absence of soap, towel or basin, dirty floors,
sour smelling troughs, accumulations and cockroaches in
corners, filth in cupboards, lack of limewash, &c. We have
now got them into fair order, but personally I am not satisfied
with results especially in the shops.
The exposure of enormous quantities of food to road dust,
flies, and wasps is a menace to health.
In the large cities of the United States, you will find all
the confections under glass, why not here ? Instead, we find
cakes, bread and all kinds of food passed through many hands,
often dirty and perspiring.
In the smaller sweet shops sweets are often dribbled out
of the hand, till the scale-pan sinks, and this, at a time when
all are keen that no infection of scarlet fever, diphtheria, and
tuberculosis shall be communicated. There is no byelaw to
control these evils. There is no remedy but public opinion and
until people protest against the pollution of food, especially in
bread delivery, we must continue to suffer from these and
other diseases till better counsels prevail.
SLAUGHTER HOUSES.
Four in number, two licensed, two registered.
Two of these slaughterhouses required much supervision,
but the sanitary defects found were rectified before the end
of the year.
COWSHEDS AND MILK.
During 1921 there were eight cowsheds with about 150
cows. You have been informed of the condition of the sheds
and the faulty methods prevailing therein at the beginning of
the year. I am glad now to report that owing to the
vigorous support of the Public Health Committee a better
system prevails. This improvement such as it is, has only
been achieved by frequent early morning inspections at the
time of milking. Now, instead of a filthy sack encircling the
waist, the milker is provided with a clean smock or overall,
hands are washed, utensils are sterilised, stools and strainers
are cleaned ; not only the teats and udders but all parts of the
animals are now cleansed, in fact the cowkeepers of the district
are beginning to realise that the Council mean to insists on
better methods. Much of course remains to be accomplished