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144
1900]
Throughout the year the butchers' shops were kept in a fairly satisfactory condition. I note
again an increase in the sale of refrigerated meat with a corresponding decrease in the sale
of home-killed meat. This has been accelerated by the Board of Agriculture prohibiting the
landing in this country of cattle and sheep from South America, due to their being affected
with foot and mouth disease.

Slaughterhouses.
2,682 visits were made to the slaughterhouses, of which there are at present 44 within the
Borough, two licences having lapsed since 1899 owing to the owners "not having used the
piemises for the purpose of slaughtering cattle therein for a period exceeding nine months,"
while one slaughterhouse was transferred to the Borough of Hackney, due to the re-arrangement
ot the districts. Speaking generally, the premises have been kept clean and the by-laws observed.
Since the Local Government Act came into operation the Borough Council is responsible
for enforcing these by-laws. This is a distinct improvement, because there is now no
necessity for a dual system of inspection, the County Council Inspector having previously to
see that the by-laws were observed, while the Borough Inspector alone could inspect the
animals and carcases deposited on the premises. One slaughterhouse yard was repaved during
the year.
The number of animals killed for human food within the slaughterhouses was as follows:—
Oxen. Bulls. Cows. Calves. Pigs. Sheep. Total.
2,965 54 668 356 464 52,760 57,267
The quality of the animals slaughtered was good, the majority of the cattle and sheep being
young, while the cows generally came from the London cowsheds, where they had been previously
inspected by the London County Council Veterinary Inspectors. Owing to the systematic
inspection we have been able to supply the London County Council with information
re cows put out of the cowsheds. One instance may suffice to illustrate this. A letter was received
from the Medical Officer to the London County Council stating that a week previous a
cow which had been under the observations of the Veterinary Inspectors had been removed to
some of the slaughterhouses within the Islington district, and asking if you could supply any
information as to the disposal of the carcase. You were able to supply date on which the cow
arrived at the slaughterhouse where it was slaughtered, and the result of the post-mortem
examination; also how the carcase was disposed of.
As the result of inspection, 356 carcases or organs were tound affected with disease during
the year. Of these, 30 carcases and their organs were totally unfit for food, while 326 were
found affected with localised disease necessitating the destruction of the affected parts only.
I append a table showing carcases, etc., affected, how affected, nature of the disease,
and how the carcases, etc., were disposed of:—
I append a table showing carcases, etc., affected, how affected, nature of the disease,
and how the carcases, etc., were disposed of:—