London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

City of London 1920

Report of the Medical Officer of Health of the City of London for the year 1920

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Table: Analysis of Supplies.

Analysis of Supplies.

Chilled Beef.Frozen Beef.Frozen Mutton.Frozen Lamb.Fresh-killed
Beef.Mutton.
Cwts.Qrs.Carcases.Carcases.Cwts.Cwts.
Argentina960,3973,120,820918,171294,152——
Australia—483,0763,035,6501,441,224——
Brazil—193,542————
Canada—90————
Continental————3,23858,222
New Zealand—418,0024,043,0061,927,663——
Patagonia——598,894166,146——
United States—59,820————
Uruguay54,104533,66546,1497,710——
Other Countries—62,4758,33925——
Totals1,014,5014,871,4908,650,2093,836,9203,23858,222

Table: Summary of Supplies of Beef, Mutton and Lamb.

Summary of Supplies of Beef, Mutton and Lamb.

Home Grown.Fresh-killed.Chilled.Frozen.Total.
Tons.Tons.Tons.Tons.Tons.
Beef788,19016250,727442,2051,281,282
Mutton and Lamb250,7902,911—317,485571,186
Totals1,038,9803,07350,725759,6901,852,468

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Of the above 34,562 tons were re-exported.
SMITHFIELD MARKETS.— It will be observed from the following table, kindly
supplied by the Clerk and Superintendent, that the gross weight of foodstuffs deposited
in the Markets (not including fish) was 365,920 tons, an average of over 1,000 tons for
every day throughout the year, or, if non-working days are excluded, an average of
about 1,500 tons per day.
Home supplies represented only 21 per cent., being a decrease of 13.2 per cent.
compared with 1919.
The proportion of home-killed for the whole of the country is estimated at about
56 per cent.

Table: Analysis of Supplies at Smithfield in 1919-1920.

Analysis of Supplies at Smithfield in 1919-1920.

Source of Supply.Beef and Veal. Tons.Mutton and Lamb. Tons.Pork and Bacon. Tons.Poultry, Game, &c. Tons.Total. Tons.
1919.1920.1919.1920.1919.1920.1919.1920.1919.1920.
United Kingdom66,26151,46523,18616,7281,9025,53115,43115,110106,78088,834
Australia and South Africa11,72415,86047,166103,32016764,3435,49963,249124,755
South America68,361118,05916,36210,6101,1953,0481386686,056131,783
North America28,2654,148691394,7524,3714,3502,33437,43610,992
Other Countries3431,794—8,295112,2101,1692,2571,5239,556
Totals174,954191,32686,783134,0927,87615,23625,43125,266295,044365,920

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GENERAL REMARKS.— The quality of the meat exposed for sale in the Markets
has shown an improvement, due no doubt to the amount of old stock in cold stores
being gradually cleared out and the new imported meat more quickly put on the
market.
There has been a reduction in the numbers of the "Telescoped" type of mutton
carcases, with a corresponding decrease in the amount of mould-infected mutton
condemned.
Bacon of the "C'est la Guerre" type has apparently all been disposed of, and
good Danish bacon become more plentiful.
Dutch pork of the usual useful type has reappeared on the Market and been in
great demand.
United States of America pig carcases have arrived in considerable numbers and
made good prices.
For a short time Irish beef, produced on the same methods as the South American
and Colonial big firms adopt, made its appearance on the Market; the meat was well
dressed and showed a great improvement on the usual Irish method of handling meat
and offals. Unfortunately, for some reason, the firm has temporarily closed its works,
due, perhaps, to the unsettled state of Ireland.