M 33
Hawkers of foodstuffs in the public highways continued to present a public health problem, both as regards the methods of preparation of their wares and the means of protection—or lack of means—of foodstuffs from dust and flies. In cases where a district was well-supplied with restaurants and eating shops, efforts were made to discourage hawking. The prevalence of diseases of the enteric type has been mentioned earlier in this Report, and the need for special care was of still greater importance during the summer of 1937 when cholera broke out. The sale of food (and drugs) is governed by the following legislation:
(1) Adulterated Food & Drugs Ordinance, No. 8 of 1935.
(2) Public Health (Food) Ordinance, No. 13 of 1935.
(3) Hawkers Ordinance, No. 22 of 1935,
In addition, special ad hoc bye-laws were drawn up to meet the dangers resulting from the cholera epidemic and preliminary steps were taken to introduce compulsory pasteurization.
These bye-laws prohibited persons from selling cut or peeled fruit; controlled by permit the sale of ice cream, non-aerated fruit juice or herbal drinks and certain jellies, uncooked fish, mussels, etc.
• Under the Adulterated Food and Drugs Ordinance, Health Officers, Veterinary Surgeons and Sanitary Inspectors are authorised by the Urban Council, on the recommendation of the Director of Medical Services, to take samples and to submit them for analysis.
In Table XI below details of this work are given.
Food or drug. No. of samples analysed. Boracic ointment Butter 38 Castor oil 4 Cheese 37 Coffee 8 Epsom salts 5 Glauber salts 5 Glycerine 4 Lard 16 Milk (fresh) 145 Milk (unsweetened evaporated) 22 Paraffin 4 Seidlitz powder 4 Tea 39 Water 1