[Report 1937] / Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer of Health, Swindon Borough.

  • Swindon Borough Council
Date:
1937
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1937] / Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer of Health, Swindon Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    87/166 (page 83)
    88 The question of the provision of a public abattoir is now being seriously considered by the Council, and until these deliber¬ ations are complete nothing more can be said on the matter. During the year, one of the licensed slaughterhouses ceased to exist, having been demolished to make room for building developments ; so that we now have seven registered and eleven licensed slaughter¬ houses within the Borough. Although these are kept clean and as- satisfactory as possible by their various owners, they cannot by any stretch of imagination be said to compare favourably with the hygienic conditions of a public abattoir. During the year the unsound food amounted to over twenty- six tons. This is an increase on last year’s figure, and shows the importance of adequate supervision in order to ensure to the public a wholesome food supply. Owing to the prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease in the: surrounding districts during the latter part of the year, much difficulty was experienced in carrying out the work of meat inspec¬ tion, because all slaughtering had to be done under licence and usually within twenty-four hours of the issue of the licence. Con¬ sequently, your Inspectors were often working to a very late hour at night and also in the early hours of the morning. In spite of this, however, the standard of supervision was strictly adhered to., During the year one case of suspected swine fever occurred in a registered slaughterhouse and was reported to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. On investigation, however, the: diagnosis was not confirmed. Appended hereto will be found the tables showing the work; carried out under the Public Health (Meat) Regulations 1924. HOUSING. The Housing Act of 1935 has now been superseded by the: Housing Act of 1936. There is still a considerable amount of; work to be done under this Act, much of which is of a continuous' nature ; because, although the position regarding overcrowding ini the Borough is very satisfactory, as will be observed by a perusal] of the tables appended hereto, it is necessary to review the situation: from time to time in order to ascertain whether any action is called: for, and to ensure that the official permitted number lor each house is inserted in the rent book. This permitted numben can only be given after accurate measurements have been taken, because it has been found that the accommodation provided! even in terrace houses, varies considerably with each house, so; that without previous measurement no official figure can be given.