[Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health, Slough Borough.

  • Slough Borough Council
Date:
1954
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1954] / Medical Officer of Health, Slough Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    40/62 page 38
    Disinfestation of Verminous Premises. There were 68 complaints received concerning dirty or verminous houses and 122 inspections were carried out. Treatment for the eradication of vermin was carried out at 18 houses including 7 council properties, with the necessary treatment of articles of clothing and bedding at the steam disinfecting station at Chalvey. SECTION C. SUPERVISION OF FOOD SUPPLIES. This section of my Report deals not only with the work carried out and improvements accomplished in relation to the hygiene of food premises, the handling of food and its transportation, but also with the day-to-day inspection, the bacteriological control of milk and ice-cream, and the chemical analysis of foods. Every effort has been made with the means at my disposal, by a reason¬ ably high standard of supervision to ensure that all foods sold within the Borough are fit for human consumption and that the public are protected against false trade descriptions in relation to food offered for sale. The activities of the Department are summarised under the following headings :— Hygiene of Food Premises and Food Handling. Despite increasing pressure of work in the Department, mainly due to housing surveys and the taking over by the Council of the Cippenham Lane Slaughterhouse in July, 1954, it was possible to devote considerate attention to the hygiene of food premises and food handling during the year under review when 3,465 visits were made to premises used for the sale, storage, manufacture or preparation of foodstuffs intended for human consumption. The standard of cleanliness of these premises was found to be reasonably high, although in matters of food hygiene there is always room for improve¬ ment. Apart from shortages of staff, there are considerable changes of per¬ sonnel not only as between one firm and another, but also from one t^e ol foodshop to another, and indeed frequent changes in managements. TheS( changes must necessarily affect organisation and routine and thererort constant vigilance involving frequent visiting of all food premises by youi officers is essential. During the year butter was de-rationed, which meant that for the firs' time in fifteen years the customer was no longer in any way tied to am particular trader. Once again the competitive spirit in business is abroac and “the take or leave it” attitude has been replaced by that of “the custome is always right.” This should help the cause of food hygiene, and othe things being equal, the cleanest traders will receive, and indeed will desep the patronage of the increasing number of customers who are becoming clean food minded. The purchaser can make the most effective contributioi to food hygiene by refusing to accept food and service which are not th best.
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