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 Westminster 1911
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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Butchers' Meat on Stalls.—The street markets are regularly inspected
during the week, but especially on Saturday evenings and Sunday
mornings. Two butchers were cautioned as to the indifferent quality of
the meat they were selling.
The following articles were seized and condemned; appended is a
note of the action taken.
The following articles were seized and condemned; appended is a note of the action taken.
| Name and Address of Defendant. | Article. | Result. |
|---|---|---|
| Margaret Covell, 6, Westow Hill, Upper Norwood | Exposing for sale 6 lbs. of unsound meat on stall in Peter Street | Eined £3. |
| Mendet Gottfried, 134, Cable Street, E. | Exposing for sale 300 bad eggs | Reported to have left the country, so that summons could not be served. |
| Walker Brothers, 132, Jer-myn Street | Exposing for sale at 132, Jermyn Street, carcase of a pig in a tuberculous condition | Fined £10 and £5 5s. costs. |
| John Thorpe and Son, 53, Central Markets, E.C. | Aiding and abetting the offence by Walker Brothers, | Summons dismissed, with £5 5s. costs against the Council. |
| Edmnnd Coin tat, 15, Old Compton Street | Exposing for sale the carcase of a pig in a tuberculous condition | Fined £20. |
Retail butchers occasionally state that having paid a good price for
the carcases in the Central Meat Market they do not consider they need
take the trouble to examine the meat themselves, being under the
impression that it must have been examined by the wholesale dealer or
by the Market Inspectors. It appears to be admitted that the Inspectors
in the Meat Market rely to some extent upon their attention being
called by the salesman to any carcase which does not appear to be right,
and that a buyer has therefore no guarantee that the carcase he buys is
free from disease and safe to sell to the public. It is consequently
necessary that he should examine the meat himself. It is extremely
difficult to take successful proceedings against the market salesman.
An attempt was made in one of the cases mentioned above. At the
hearing it was argued, and the Magistrate agreed, that in consequence
of Sub-section 3 of Section 47 of the Public Health Act the provisions
of Section 5 of the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1848, had been practically
repealed; and that under Section 47, Sub-section 3, of the Public
Health Act the defendant was entitled to acquittal if he proved that at
the time he sold the article he did not know and had no reason to
believe that it was unfit for food, and the Magistrate thought that the
prosecution were not entitled to shut out the defendant from this
defence by proceeding against him for aiding and abetting.
Representations have been made to the City of London authority in