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
Orpington 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Orpington]
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43
Meat Inspection.
One hundred and ninety-eight visits were made by the Sanitary
Inspectors to the eleven registered slaughterhouses.
Licences were issued to seventeen slaughtermen under the
Slaughter of Animals Act, 1933.
As a result of the Government's decision to de-ration meat in the
middle of the year, the work of carcase inspection at the slaughterhouses
greatly increased.
In every case of notification of slaughter, the carcase was examined
and it only requires a quick glance at the following reasons for condemnation
to realise the full importance of this work.
Meat Condemned. (July/Dec).
Total Weight approx. 1/2 ton
Reasons for Condemnation.
Tuberculosis
Pyaemia
Pneumonia
Tumours
Fever
Pericarditis
Parasites
Abscesses
Arthritis
and various other minor unsound conditions.
The following table gives statistical details of the ante- and postmortem inspection of animals made during 1954:—
Carcases Inspected and Condemned:—
| Cattle excluding Cows. | Cows. | Calves. | Sheep and lambs. | Pigs. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number killed | 57 | 8 | 117 | 25 | 754 |
| Number inspected | 57 | 8 | 117 | 25 | 754 |
| All diseases except tuberculosis | |||||
| Whole carcases condemned | — | — | 1 | — | 7 |
| Carcases of which some part or organ was condemned | 4 | 1 | — | — | 22 |
| Percentage of the number inspected affected wtih disease other than tuberculosis | 7 | 12.5 | 0.85 | — | 3.84 |
| Tuberculosis only: Whole carcases condemned | 1 | — | — | 2 | |
| Carcases of which some parit or organ was condemned | 3 | 2 | — | — | 6 |
| Percentage of the number inspected affected with tuberculosis | 7 | 25 | — | — | 1.06 |