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 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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36
Brazil.—The increase of meat received from this country is worthy of note. There
were deposited in the Central Markets 13,053 tons of beef, against 9,877 tons, and 1,184 tons
of mutton, against 604 tons for 1930. Although the majority of the meat is not of a very
high quality, it supplies a ready demand for this class of food. For quantities of unsound
| Beef. Quarters. 193l. 1930. | Mutton. Carcases. 1931. 1930. | Pork. Carcases. 1931. 1930. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abscess | 10 | 5 | - | — | 4 | 6 |
| Caseous Lymphadenitis | — | — | 30 | 26 | — | — |
| Sarcoma | l | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tuberculosis | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | — |
| Totals | 17 | 11 | 30 | 26 | 4 | 6 |
Chile.—The inspection shows a slight improvement in the condition of mutton from
this country during the year 1931. One hundred and forty-eight carcases and 98 sides of
mutton were found diseased, compared with 153 carcases and 183 sides in 1930.
Other Countries.—The inspection of meat from other countries does not call for any
special remarks, except on one important feature. Much pork is received into this country
as bacon which is difficult of checking as to freedom from disease, because heads are cut off
and the vertebrae removed ; those are, from an inspector's point of view, portions in which
lesions of tuberculosis are looked for. In other words, the carcase of a pig bred, fed and
sent to the markets by a British producer might be condemned for tuberculosis, while the
same carcase, by being trimmed and converted into bacon, could be imported into this
country and sold as fit for human food.
Pork. Bacon. Bacon. Carcases. Sides. Pieces. Sides. Pieces. Denmark.
1930. 1931. 1930. 1931.
Abscess — — 11 3 9 2
Tumour — — 1 — — —
Holland.
Abscess — — — — 3 1
Manchuria.
Abscess 2 4 — — — —
Poland.
Abscess — — 5 1 8 —
South Africa.
Abscess — — — — 1 1
U.S.A.
Abscess 3 1 — — — —
CASEOUS LYMPHADENITIS.
The following table shows a continued reduction of carcases and sides, but an increase
in the number of quarters and pieces found affected with this disease. The figures justify
a continuation of 100 per cent, examination of the two latter articles.
Countries. Carcases. Sides. Quarters. Pieces. 1931. 1930. 1929. 1931. 1930. 1929. 1931. 1930. 1929. 1931. 1930. 1929.
Argentina 371 918 7,097 76 — 116 142 24 243 39 2 490
Australia 241 222 2,543 — — — 38 20 91 162 10 121
Brazil 30 26 — — 1
Chile 147 160 2,252 98 217 — — 6 8 — — 33
New Zealand 201 311 763 23 33 2 4 — 16 139 10 4
South Africa — 43 — — — — — — — — — —
Uruguay 40 152 339 — 6 183 — — 5 48 — 149
Totals 1,030 1,83212,994 197 257 301 184 50 363 388 22 797