AC 430 (3) HAYES & HARLINGTON LIBRARY HAY 27 FORTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT on the HEALTH of the Urban District of HAYES & HARLINGTON Middlesex J. STANLEY LLOYD, M.D., F.R.C.S.Edin. Medical Officer of Health 1952 THE URBAN DISTRICT OF HAYES AND HARLINGTON Members of the Council, 1952: Chairman: Councillor H. R. Hann, J.P. Vice-Chairman: Councillor Mrs. B. F. Frost. Councillors: Mrs. R. E. Beard, A. J. C. Beck, H. Blackburn, D. W. Brown, P. J. Burke, S. G. Chilton, F. W. Coleman, B. E. Cooper, J. H. Dawson, O. Garvin, E. K. Harding, T. Latter, W. C. Mongor, E. C. Perkins, F. W. D. Rosser, N. L. Shakespeare, A. Smith, A. H. Smith, R. M. Smith, G. Triscott, M.B.E., M. C. Wheeler, F. Woods. Public Health Committee, 1952: Chairman: Councillor F. W. D. Rosser. Vice-Chairman: Councillor F. C. Woods. Councillors: Mrs. R. E. Beard, S. G. Chilton, G. Triscott, M.B.E., M. C. Wheeler. (Councillor Perkins resigned from the Committee in October and was replaced by Councillor Mrs. Beard). Staff of the Public Health Department: Medical Officer of Health: J. Stanley Lloyd, M.D., F.R.C.S.Edin. Chief Sanitary Inspector, Inspector under the Shops Acts, and Petroleum Inspector: John S. Hodgins, A.M.I.San.E., M.R.S.I. Deputy Chief Sanitary Inspector: Sydney Greenhead. Additional Sanitary Inspectors: E. J. Marsden, C. C. H. Guy (commenced 1/4/52), C. R. Southgate (commenced 1/9/52), A. N. Ross (commenced 20/10/52), E. A. Williams (left 19/10/52), J. M. Fabel (left 9/3/52), A. C. Bamping (left 31/5/52). Clerks: B. S. Bedborough, Mrs. C. F. Pickett, Miss A. Mellett. 1 MEDICAL OFFICER'S ANNUAL REPORT Public Health Department, Town Hall, Hayes, Middlesex. June, 1953 To the Chairman and Members of the Council. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honour to present the forty-eighth Annual Report on the health of your Urban District. There has been no major epidemic during the year. Notifications of tuberculosis have dropped from 109 to 101 and deaths from this cause from 24 to 12 since last year. There has again been no case of diphtheria and no case of food poisoning in a restaurant or canteen. It was notable that the severe fogs of last winter were followed by a sharp rise in respiratory affections. The freedom from diphtheria in the Urban District since 1947 can be attributed to the high proportion of children immunised. There is a danger that the absence of the disease may result in parents neglecting to have their children protected. I would like to urge everyone who has the care of a child to make sure that that child is immunised, preferably before he attains the age of one year. One of the most striking features in public health in recent years has been the continuous fall in infantile deaths. Last year the rate fell to the lowest point ever recorded and this year the figure is not much greater. I think this is evidence of the benefits derived from a higher standard of education in matters of hygiene, and of the facilities now available to mothers to obtain medical advice and treatment. The Food Hygiene Guild has no doubt contributed to this end by educating shop-keepers and the public in matters of cleanliness in handling food. I should like to record my thanks to Mr. J. S. Hodgins, the Chief Sanitary Inspector, and to all the staff of the Public Health Department for their loyal and willing service. My thanks are also due to the other members of the staff of the Council who have so readily co-operated when asked to do so. May I also in this, my last report, express my gratitude to the Council, and especially the Public Health Committee, for the kindness and consideration so consistently shown to me. I am, Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, J. STANLEY LLOYD, Medical Of ficer of Health. 2 STATISTICS AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THE AREA Area (acres) 5,159 Population (Census 1931) 22,969 Population (mid-year 1952—Registrar General's estimate of civilian population) 65,240 Number of inhabitated houses as at 31st December, 1952 17,548 Rateable value (estimated) as at 31st December, 1952 £440,374 Product of a penny rate £1,750 EXTRACTS FROM VITAL STATISTICS OF THE YEAR Live Births:— M. F. Total Birth- rate per 1,000 of the estimated resident population 15.27 Legitimate 498 452 950 Illegitimate 20 26 46 Comparability factor is 0.91, giving a corrected birth-rate of 13.89 Stillbirths:— M. F. Total Rate per 1,000 total (live and still births) 22.57 Legitimate 12 11 23 Illegitimate — — — M. F. Total Death rate 7.03 Deaths 264 195 459 Comparability factor is 1.50, giving a corrected death rate of 10.54 Deaths from puerperal causes Nil Death rate of infants under one year of age:— (a) All infants per 1,000 live births 18.07 (b) Legitimate infants per 1,000 legitimate live births 17.89 (c) Illegitimate infants per 1,000 illegitimate live births 21.73 Deaths from:— M. F. Total Cancer 68 37 105 Measles — — — Whooping cough — — — Diarrhoea (under 2 years of age) — — — Tuberculosis of respiratory system 4 5 9 Tuberculosis (other forms) 2 1 3 Heart disease 77 51 128 Bronchitis 10 10 20 Pneumonia (all forms) 17 8 25 3 BIRTH-RATES, DEATH-RATES, ANALYSIS OF MORTALITY, MATERNAL MORTALITY AND CASE-RATES FOR CERTAIN INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN THE YEAR 1952 PROVISIONAL FIGURES BASED ON QUARTERLY RETURNS England and Wales 160 County Boroughs and Great Towns (including London) 160 Smaller Towns (Resident Populations 25,000 to 50,000 at 1951 Census) London Administrative County Hayes and Harlington Rates per 1,000 Home Population Births— Live births 15.3 16.9 15.5 17.6 15.27 Stillbirths 0.35 0.43 0.36 0.34 0.35 22.36* 24.6* 23.0* 19.2* 22.57* Deaths— All causes 11.3 12.1 11.2 12.6 7.03 Typhoid and paratyphoid 0.00 0.00 0.00 - - Whooping cough 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 — Diphtheria 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 — Tuberculosis 0.24 0.28 0.22 0.31 0.18 Influenza 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.05 — Smallpox 0.00 — — — — Acute poliomyelitis (including polioencephalitis) 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01 - Pneumonia 0.47 0.52 0.43 0.58 0.38 Notifications (Corrected) : Typhoid fever 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 — Para-typhoid fever 0.02 0.02 0.03 00.1 0.01 Meningococcal infection 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.06 Scarlet fever 1.53 1.75 1.58 1.56 2.21 Whooping cough 2.61 2.74 2.57 1.66 2.19 Diphtheria 0.01 0.01 0.03 0.01 — Erysipelas 0.14 0.15 0.12 0.14 0.03 Smallpox 0.00 0.00 0.00 — - Measles 8.86 10.11 8.49 9.23 10.42 Pneumonia 0.72 0.80 0.62 0.57 1.21 Acute poliomyelitis (including polioencephalitis): Paralytic 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.17 Non-paralytic 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.03 0.05 Food poisoning 0.13 0.16 0.11 0.18 0.06 Puerperal pyrexia 17.87* 23.94* 10.22* 30-77* 1570* Rates per 1,000 Live Births Deaths— All causes under 1year of age 27.6† 31.2 25.8 23.8 18.07 Enteritis and diarrhoea under 2 years of age 1.1 1.3 0.5 0.7 - Maternal Mortality (Rates per 1,000 Total (Live and Still) Births) England and Wales Hayes and Harlington Sepsis of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium 0.09 0.00 Abortion with toxaemia 0.02 0.00 Other toxaemias of pregnancy and the puerperium 0.21 0.00 Haemorrhage of pregnancy and childbirth 0.09 0.00 Abortion without mention of sepsis or toxaemia 0.04 0.00 Abortion with sepsis 0.07 0.00 Other complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium 0.20 0.00 * Per 1,000 Total (Live and Still) Births, † Per 1,ooo related live births. 4 CAUSES OF DEATH DURING 1952 Cause of Death Male Female All causes 264 195 1. Tuberculosis, respiratory 4 5 2. Tuberculosis, other 2 1 3. Syphilitic disease 1 — 4. Diphtheria — — 5. Whooping cough — — 6. Meningococcal infections — — 7. Acute poliomyelitis — — 8. Measles — — 9. Other infective and parasitic diseases — — 10. Malignant neoplasm, stomach 11 4 11. Malignant neoplasm, lung, bronchus 29 4 12. Malignant neoplasm, breast — 11 13. Malignant neoplasm, uterus — — 14. Other malignant and lymphatic neoplasms 28 18 15. Leukaemia, aleukæmia 1 5 16. Diabetes — 2 17. Vascular lesions of nervous systems 18 23 18. Coronary disease, angina 44 14 19. Hypertension with heart disease 6 8 20. Other heart disease 27 29 21. Other circulatory disease 16 10 22. Influenza — — 23. Pneumonia 17 8 24. Bronchitis 10 10 25. Other disease of respiratory system 3 — 26. Ulcer of stomach and duodenum 7 2 27. Gastritis, enteritis and diarrhoea — 1 28. Nephritis and nephrosis 4 2 29. Pregnancy, childbirth, abortion — — 31. Congenital malformations 2 6 32. Other defined and ill-defined diseases 16 27 33. Motor vehicle accidents 4 — 34. All other accidents 10 3 35. Suicide 1 2 36. Homicide and operations of war — — Deaths of Infants: Legitimate 6 11 Illegitimate — 1 Total 6 12 Live Births: Legitimate 498 452 Illegitimate 20 26 Total 518 478 Stillbirths: Legitimate 12 11 Illegitimate — — Total 12 11 Home Population (mid-year) 65,240 5 GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE AREA (a) Hospitals. Hayes Cottage Hospital, Grange Road, Hayes. Harlington Cottage Hospital, Sipson Lane, Harlington. Hillingdon Hospital, near Uxbridge. St. John's Hospital, Uxbridge, for infectious diseases. Joyce Green Hospital, Dartford, for cases of smallpox. (b) Ambulance Service. Motor ambulances are provided by the Middlesex County Council for the conveyance of all cases to Hospital. (c) Tuberculosis. Provision is made by the Middlesex County Council for treating cases of tuberculosis at South Mimms Hospital, Harefield Hospital, and other places. The Chest Clinic is situated at the Local County Offices, High Street, Uxbridge. (d) Child Welfare Clinics, etc. The Middlesex County Council also administers the numerous Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics in the district. These are open frequently and are at the disposal of all residents free of cost. WATER SUPPLY An abundant supply of water is available in the district; the Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Valley Water Company supply the greater part of the district, while a small area at the Southern extremity of the district is supplied by the South West Suburban Water Company. Thirty-three dwelling houses, representing 00.19% of the total dwellings and population in the district, are supplied from standpipes and a further two dwellings from wells; all other dwellings have piped supplies from the Companies' mains. Chemical and bacteriological examinations of the water have been made by the Clinical Research Association, and the Public Health Laboratory Service at Ealing. The number of samples taken for bacteriological examination was as follows: Rickmansworth and Uxbridge Valley Water Co. 11 South West Suburban Water Company 3 Private wells 8 Satisfactory results were obtained from all the samples from public supplies indicating that the quality of the water in the district from this source is consistently good. Two samples from a well gave unsatisfactory results and appropriate action was taken. 6 PREVALENCE OF, AND CONTROL OVER, INFECTIOUS DISEASES (а) General. Deaths from tuberculosis—these decreased from twenty-four last year to twelve. Poliomyelitis—although the number of cases increased there were again no deaths. (b) Scabies. Arrangements have been made for scabies to be treated at Hillingdon Hospital; no cases, however, were reported during the year. (c) Diphtheria Immunisation. This service is now undertaken by the Middlesex County Council at the Child Welfare Clinics in the district. Notifiable Diseases (other than Tuberculosis) during the Year 1952 Disease Total Cases Notified Total Deaths Scarlet fever 144 - Diphtheria — — Pneumonia 79 25 Meningococcal infection 4 — Puerperal pyrexia 16 — Erysipelas 2 — Ophthalmia neonatorum 3 — Measles 680 — Whooping cough 143 — Dysentery 24 — Acute poliomyelitis and encephalitis 14 — Malaria — — Enteric fever - — Para-typhoid fever 1 — Food poisoning 4 — Smallpox — — Acute encephalitis lethargica - - 7 TUBERCULOSIS New cases and mortality during the year 1952: Age Periods New Cases Mortality Respiratory NonRespiratory Respiratory NonRespiratory M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. Under 1 year - - - - - - - - 1-4 1 2 3 1 — - — — 5—14 3 5 1 2 — - — — 15—24 12 13 2 - - 3 - - 25—34 14 12 I 3 — — — — 35—44 6 5 — — - 1 — - 45—54 7 3 — - 2 — 1 1 55—64 4 - - - - - - - 65 and over — — 1 - 2 — 1 — Age unknown — — — — — 1 — — Totals 47 40 8 6 4 5 2 1 It has not been found necessary to take any action under the Public Health (Prevention of Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1925, relating to tuberculosis amongst employees in the milk trade, nor under the Public Health Act, 1936, Section 172, for the compulsory removal to hospital of persons suffering from tuberculosis. 8 9 ANALYSIS OF TOTAL CASES Disease AT AGES Under 1 year 1—2 3—4 5—9 10—14 15—24 25 and over Age unknown Totals Scarlet fever - 10 29 83 14 5 2 1 144 Whooping cough 14 27 41 59 — 1 1 — 143 Acute poliomyelitis 1 4 4 3 — — 2 — 14 Measles 24 118 189 302 21 9 7 10 680 Diphtheria — — — - - - - - - AT AGES Disease Under 5 years 5—14 15—44 45—64 65 and over Age unknown Totals Acute pneumonia 13 22 26 12 6 — 79 Dysentery 2 6 3 — — 13 24 Smallpox — — — — — — — Acute encephalitis lethargica — — — — — — Enteric fever — — - — — — — Para-typhoid fever — 1 - — — — 1 Erysipelas — — 2 — — — 2 Food poisoning — — — — — 4 4 Meningococcal infection 3 — — 1 — — 4 Puerperal pyrexia 16 (all ages) Ophthalmia neonatorum 3 REPORT OF THE CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR SANITARY INSPECTION OF THE AREA COMPLAINTS During the year 921 complaints were received with respect to the following matters: Choked and defective drains 219 Insanitary or dilapidated conditions of houses or premises 235 Offensive accumulations or deposits 12 Defective dustbins 27 Verminous premises 43 Gypsies 5 Rat and mouse infestations 251 Unsound food 31 Nuisances from animals 16 Overcrowding 33 Dust, smoke and noise nuisances 28 Other nuisances 21 Total 921 INSPECTION OF THE DISTRICT Visits to dwelling houses re disrepair 1,734 Visits to dwelling houses re overcrowding and re-housing enquiries 443 Visits re defective drainage 1,287 Visits re disinfestation and disinfection 88 Visits re accumulations of refuse 136 Observations re smoke, noise and smell nuisances 265 Inspections of public conveniences 14 Inspections of piggeries and stables 109 Inspections of moveable dwellings and caravan sites 552 Visits re infectious diseases 393 Visits re Shops Acts (during office hours) 1,320 Visits re Shops Acts (outside office hours) 1,063 Visits re inspection of food 572 Inspections of dairies and milk shops 33 Inspections of ice cream manufacturers' premises 57 Inspections of ice cream dealers' premises and vehicles 230 Inspections of food shops, cafes, etc. 2,100 Inspections of licensed premises 80 Inspections of hawkers' vehicles and store places 83 Inspections of factories, workplaces and outworkers' premises 651 Inspections re rodent control 1,276 Inspections re music and dancing licences 30 Visits re milk, water and ice cream sampling, etc. 299 Interviews 280 Inspections of petroleum stores 230 Inspections of slaughterhouses 7 Inspections of refuse tips 95 Inspections of ditches, watercourses, etc. 71 Miscellaneous visits 2,306 Total 15,804 10 NOTICES SERVED Informal notices served 386 Statutory Notices served:— Section 39, Public Health Act, 1936 5 45, Public Health Act 1936 7 „ 56 Public Health Act 1936 2 „ 75, Public Health Act, 1936 7 89, Public Health Act, 1936 1 93, Public Health Act, 1936 32 „ 38, Shops Act, 1950 1 „ 57, Food and Drugs Act, 1938 1 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS (a) Public Health Act, 1936. It was found necessary to make only one application to the Magistrates for a Nuisance Order; this was granted and £2 2s. 0d. costs imposed. (b) Food and Drugs Act, 1938. Proceedings were taken against a dairyman for selling a bottle of milk which contained insect larvae. He brought before the Court the firm from whom he had obtained the milk and they were found guilty and fined £5 with £15 15s. 0d. costs. (c) Middlesex County Council Acts, 1944-1950. Proceedings were taken against three itinerant caravan dwellers. Fines of £1 1s. 0d. were imposed in two instances and £5 in the third case. In another case a fine of 10s. Od. was inflicted on the owner of an unauthorised caravan site; the occupiers of the site were unconditionally discharged. MOVEABLE DWELLINGS The number of caravans in the district has remained at a high level. The result of legal proceedings taken against the owner of one of the worst sites in the district indicated that unless the Council could offer alternative accommodation only nominal penalties would be inflicted. Progress in connection with the establishment of the Council's own site has been slow. Negotiations for the acquisition of a suitable site broke down and resort had to be made to Compulsory Purchase procedure. The Minister's decision arising from the public enquiry which was held in connection with the latter had not been made known at the end of the year. The comparative freedom of the district from gypsies, in contrast to the experience of other Local Authorities in this area, is no doubt due to the policy of enforcing the provisions of the Middlesex County Council Act. A perusal of Legal Proceedings, found elsewhere in this report, shows that the penalties inflicted against this type of caravan dweller were sufficiently heavy to act as a deterrent to a speedy return to the district. 11 OFFENSIVE TRADES There is no establishment in the district carrying on an Offensive Trade. PREVENTION OF ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION No serious trouble has occurred during the year from industrial furnaces. In the absence of proper apparatus in the district for the measurement of atmospheric pollution it is difficult to assess accurately whether or not there is a trend in the right direction. It is safe to say, however, that the emission of industrial smoke and grit has been considerably reduced in recent years. Moreover, for some time past all new Council houses have been equipped with improved type grates capable of burning smokeless fuels. This type of appliance has also had a very wide sale amongst the general public and it is certain that if smokeless fuels only were used in them a valuable contribution towards a cleaner atmosphere would have been made. Immediately following the serious fog in December the opportunity was taken of drawing to the attention of all firms operating furnaces, and to all women's organisations in the town, the connection between a smoky atmosphere and a dense, persistent fog of the type just experienced. DRAINAGE Further progress has been made in the abolition of cesspools and the substitution of pail closets by water closets. The Council have made generous contributions under Section 47 of the Public Health Act, 1936, towards the cost of replacing pail closets in order to encourage the owners of premises to have this work done. Those premises still relying on cesspool drainage are almost all situated at a considerable distance from the nearest public sewer or are premises which have a short life and will be subject to action under the Housing Act as soon as alternative accommodation can be offered to the tenants. The practice of clearing stopped drains, where this can be done simply by rodding or plunging the drain, has been continued. No charge is made for this work, but the public health advantages accruing from it far outweigh the small expense involved. The service of large numbers of notices has been avoided and, of more importance, serious nuisances have been abated within an hour or two of being reported instead of continuing pending the expiry of the time limit of a Statutory Notice. 12 THE FACTORIES ACT, 1937 There are one hundred and thirty factories with mechanical power and eight factories without mechanical power on the Register, with a range of products including:— Aircraft, building materials, caravans, carbon products, cheese, chocolate, cocoa, coffee extracts, electrical transformers, furniture, lubricating oil, optical lenses, potato crisps, pianos, radio, radar, television, gramophone records and gramophones, rubber, tarmacadam and wood block floors. Inspection of Factories. Premises Number on Register Number of Inspections Written Notices Occupiers Prosecuted Factories with mechanical power 130 434 20 — Factories without mechanical power 8 13 — — Other premises under the Act (including work of building and engineering construction but not including outworkers' premises) - - - - Total 138 447 20 — Defects Found. Particulars Number of defects Found Remedied* Sanitary Accommodation (Section 7): Insufficient 4 1 Unsuitable or defective 56 58 Not separate for sexes — — Other offences 3 — Total 63 59 * (including defects found, but not remedied, in 1951) Outworkers. Part VIII of the Factories Act requires the occupier of a factory who employs persons to carry out certain classes of work in their own homes to supply a list of such persons to the District Council every six months. Fifty-seven notifications have been received and one hundred and five inspections made; in every instance the work was found to be carried out under suitable Conditions, 13 HOUSING During the year 1952 the following houses and prefabricated bungalows were completed by the Council and private developers: 1952 Post-war total to 31/12/52 Permanent houses 163 1,303 Temporary bungalows — 224 Houses rebuilt after destruction by enemy action — 69 Houses rendered habitable after serious damage by enemy action - 3 Adaptation of unoccupied buildings — 10 1.—Inspection of houses during the year: (1) (a) Total number of dwelling houses inspected for housing defects (under Public Health or Housing Acts) 512 (b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 1,734 (2) (a) Number of dwelling houses which were spected and recorded under the Housing Consolidated Regulations, 1925 and 1932 (b) Number of inspections made for the purpose - (3) Number of dwelling houses found to be in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation 1 (4) Number of dwelling houses (exclusive of those referred to under the preceding sub-head) found not to be in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation 166 2.—Remedy of defects during the year without the service of Formal Notices. Number of dwelling houses rendered fit in consequence of informal action by the L,ocal Authority or their Officers 205 3.—Action under Statutory Powers during the year. (1) Proceedings under Sections 9, 10 and 16 of the Housing Act, 1936: (a) Number of dwelling houses in respect of which notices were served requiring repairs — (b) Number of dwelling houses which were rendered fit after service of formal notices: (i) By owners — (ii) By Local Authority in default of owners — 14 (2) Proceedings under Public Health Act, 1936: (a) Number of dwelling houses in respect of which notices were served requiring defects to be remedied 40 (b) Number of dwelling houses in which defects were remedied after service of formal notices : (i) By owners 51 (ii) By Local Authority in default of owners — (iii) Partly complied with but not yet complete 1 (3) Proceedings under Sections 11 and 13 of the Housing Act, 1936: (a) Number of dwelling houses in respect of which Demolition Orders were made or Undertakings given — (b) Number of dwelling houses demolished in pursuance of Demolition Orders — (4) Proceedings under Section 12 of the Housing Act, 1936: (a) Number of separate tenements or underground rooms in respect of which Closing Orders "were made — (b) Number of separate tenements or underground rooms in respect of which Closing Orders were determined, the tenement or room having been rendered fit — OVERCROWDING Thirty-three cases of overcrowding were abated during the year and fifty-nine new cases were discovered making a net increase of twenty-six in the number of cases still to be dealt with. INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD The bacteriological examination of samples of milk, ice cream, water and miscellaneous foods is carried out at the Public Health Laboratory, Ealing, and I am indebted to the Director and Staff of the Laboratory for their ready assistance at all times. Details of the samples submitted will be found elsewhere in this report under their respective headings. (a) Milk Supply. A register of Dairies and Milk Distributors (other than dairy farms and farmers) is maintained and the numbers shown on the register are: Milk Distributors 20 Dairies 10 15 The following licences have been Issued: Designation Dealer's Licence Supplementary Licence Tuberculin Tested 7 10 Pasteurised 7 10 Sterilised 14 12 An Order made under Section 23 of the Food and Drugs (Milk, Dairies and Artificial Cream) Act, 1950, specifying this district as one within which the use of special designations in relation to milk sold by retail is in force. During the year sixty-one samples of milk were taken for bacteriological examination with the following results : Pasteurised Pasteurised T.T. Number of Samples 51 10 Satisfactory 49 10 Unsatisfactory 2 - In addition, one sample of raw T.T. milk was submitted for the guinea pig inoculation test and was found to be free from tuberculosis. It has not been necessary to take any action under Article 20 of the Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1949, to prohibit the sale of milk. (b) Ice Cream. One hundred and five persons are registered for the sale of ice cream in the district, including eleven who are registered for its manufacture. All the latter use methods of heat treatment laid down in the Ice Cream (Heat Treatment) Regulations. In sampling, emphasis has been placed on our own manufacturers and on unwrapped ice cream brought into the district from other areas. Eighty-five samples were taken and graded as follows : Grade I 73 or 85.89% Grade II 2 or 2.35% Grade III 10 or 11.76% Grade IV — — — 85 100.00% 16 Thirty-one samples of water ices and ice lollies were taken, of which fourteen were reported to be unsatisfactory. The proportion of samples described as unsatisfactory should not be regarded with alarm as the standard adopted by the bacteriologist, in the absence of a legal or generally accepted standard, is a high one; for classification as satisfactory a sample must yield a plate count of less than 100 and be free from coliforms. Whilst this standard could easily be obtained with the old fashioned water ice it is far more difficult in the case of the modern ice lolly with an ice cream base. (c) The Inspection of Meat and Other Foods. There is no Ministry of Food slaughterhouse in the district, but the inspection of meat and other food in butchers' shops, grocers and provision dealers, cafes and canteens, forms one of the Sanitary Inspectors' most important duties. During the year 176 lbs. of meat, 33 lbs. of canned corned beef or mutton, and 898 lbs. of other canned meat were condemned. During the year sixteen pigs were slaughtered under licence. All were examined and the head of one was found to be tuberculous; some part or organ of two others was condemned for other diseases. The following foods (other than meat) were also condemned during the year: Biscuits 11 lbs. Fruit (fresh and dried) 157 lbs. Cereals 118 lbs. Fruit (tinned) 677 tins Cheess 58 lbs. Milk 77 tins Chicken 28 lbs. Preserves 111 jars /tins Chopped Horseradish 1,874 lbs. Eggs (shell) 101 doz. Sausages 23 tins Eggs (tinned) 482 lbs. Tomato Puree 5,978 lbs. Fish 413 lbs. Tripe 20 lbs. Fish (tinned) 96 tins Vegetables (tinned) 695 tins Miscellaneous Food 110 lbs. (d) Meat Transport. The conditions under which meat is transported from the wholesale depots to butchers' shops has been kept under constant observation and no examples of gross mishandling have been noted. It is regretted however, that no progress has been made towards a real solution of the problem by the replacement of the ill-equipped and unsuitable vehicles at present in use with vehicles in which meat can be hung during conveyance. (e) Food Handling Byelaws. The byelaws made under Section 15 of the Food and Drugs Act 1938 have again been of valuable assistance in our efforts to improve the hygienic standard of food handling. Food traders have on the whole been very co-operative and all contraventions of the byelaws have been remedied without recourse to legal proceedings. 17 (f) Clean Food Campaign. During the year the Food Hygiene Guild has continued to attract new members and at the end of the year the number stood at 90. It is encouraging to find that 90 food traders in the district are prepared to accept a liberal interpretation of food hygiene law and, to some extent, are prepared to exceed legal requirements. One wishes, however, that having become members of the Guild, they would make greater efforts to publicise the fact by special window displays or other methods, in order to keep the existence and aims of the Guild constantly in front of the public. The Advisory Committee of the Guild have assisted members with publicity material by providing a membership certificate, a brightly coloured paint transfer depicting the Guild symbol for fixing on shop windows, and lapel badges of similar design for use by members' assistants. In October a public meeting, to which all food handlers in the district were given personal invitations, was addressed by Dr. W. Howard Hughes, of the Public Health Laboratory Service, and Mr. Morley Parry, Food Hygiene Advisory Officer to the Ministry of Food. A small but interested audience heard two stimulating addresses. During the year food hygiene propaganda posters obtained from the Central Council for Health Education have been posted on the Council's notice boards in all parts of the district and changed at regular intervals. (g) Sampling of Food and Drugs. The sampling of food and drugs for chemical analysis is carried out by the Middlesex County Council and the following information regarding samples obtained during the year has been kindly supplied by the Senior Public Control Officer: 261 samples were taken, including 159 of milk; 14 (all of which were milk) were found to be unsatisfactory. (h) Food Poisoning. During 1952 two family outbreaks of food poisoning, each comprising two cases, were notified: there were no fatal cases. In every instance the causative organism was Salmonella typhi murium. One outbreak was traced to home-made butter, in the preparation of which the white of a duck egg had been used; the other outbreak was not traced to a definite source. Neither of the outbreaks was associated with any form of communal feeding. 18 (i) Inspection of Food Premises. (a) Inspections. Premises Total number in District Inspections Made Restaurants and cafes 49 517 Ice cream dealers and manufacturers 105 287 Licensed premises 32 80 Dairies and milk distributors' premises 31 33 Preserved food premises 54 110 Bakehouses 8 67 Butchers' shops 31 300 Grocers' shops 69 499 Fish shops 16 113 Greengrocers' shops 30 240 Food hawkers' premises 40 39 Mobile canteens 6 6 (b) Defects remedied. Total Cleanliness improved 68 Structural repairs 51 Lighting improved 7 Ventilation improved 6 Equipment improved 19 Hot water supplies improved 7 Clean towels provided 2 Food storage accommodation improved 22 Rodent infestation abated 11 Other improvements 10 RODENT CONTROL Two whole-time rodent operators are employed. Treatment is carried out in accordance with the methods suggested by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. A charge to cover labour and cost of materials is made for work done in business premises but all treatment at dwelling houses is free. During the year 409 dwelling houses and 124 business premises were treated and also many ditches, undeveloped sites, etc. The most outstanding development in this work during the year was the introduction of a new poison known as "Warfarin" which can be used without pre-baiting. When further experience in its use has been obtained it should be possible to reduce considerably the labour costs of rodent control. SHOPS ACTS All parts of the Shops Acts are administered, including hours of closing, assistants' half-holiday, Sunday trading, comfort and welfare of assistants, etc. The Sanitary Inspectors made 2,383 visits for this purpose during the year, including 1,063 which were made outside normal office hours, i.e. in the evenings and on Sundays. June, 1953. 19 Perry & Routleff Ltd., Printers, Uxbridge and Ealing