Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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42
Mutton and Lamb.—
The total quantity of frozen mutton and lamb seized by your officers and disposed
of as unfit for human consumption was 14,870 carcases, 204 pieces, 235 bags, and a
quantity of trimmings, &c., the total weight being 267 tons 6 cwts. 2 qrs. 3 lbs.,
against 122 tons 12 cwts. 0 qrs. 19 lbs. in the preceding year.
The largest quantity seized ex any vessel was 14,399 carcases, weighing 236 tons
3 cwts. 0 qrs. 8 lbs., from a vessel which had been on fire.
Beep affected with "Worm" (Onchocerca).—No beef affected with
"Worm" (Onchocerca) came under the notice of your officers during the year.
Actinomycosis in Ox-Tongues.—Most of the ox-tongues which arrived in the Port
of London were, at the request of the consignees, removed from the district of the Port
Sanitary Authority (without inspection) to cold stores within the City of London and the
Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury, to be examined there under the supervision of the
Medical Officers of Health of those districts.
About 66 separate consignments were put into cold store within the district of the
Port Sanitary Authority, where the tongues were thawed out and carefully examined,
and in the majority of the consignments not more than 2 per cent. of the tongues
showed evidence of disease.
The consignments showing upwards of 2 per cent.diseased were as follows:—
Number of Tongues Examined. | Number found Diseased. | Percentage of those Examined. |
---|---|---|
756 | 22 | 2.9 |
2,004 | 67 | 3.3 |
240 | 8 | 3.3 |
2,172 | 92 | 4.2 |
252 | 11 | 4.3 |
252 | 13 | 5.1 |
912 | 66 | 7.2 |
150 | 14 | 9.3 |
The result of these examinations shows the percentage of tongues found diseased
to be higher than during the two previous years.
Pork.—During the year a careful examination was made of a percentage of all
consignments of pig carcases which arrived in the Port of London, and in no case
was 2 per cent, of the carcases found to be affected with Tuberculosis.
The Pork seized and destroyed during the year was as follows:-
From. | Tuberculous Carcases. | Unsound. Carcases. |
---|---|---|
Argentine | 39 | ... |
Australia | 282 | |
New York | 11 | 252 |
Totals - | 50 | 534 |
Veal.—Two carcases and 603 pieces of veal, weighing 16 tons 17 cwts. 2 qrs.
1 lb. were seized as unfit for human consumption, as compared with 9 cwts. 2 qrs.
21 lbs. seized the preceding year.
Offal .—The offal seized as unfit for human consumption was as follows:—
Tons. | Cwts. | Qrs. | Lbs. | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oheeks, Ox—778 bags | 29 | 9 | 2 | 17 |
Hearts, Sheep—315 bags and 12 loose | 11 | 18 | 3 | 27 |
Kidneys—53 boxes, 18 bags, 1 case | 1 | 9 | 0 | 23 |
Livers, Ox—357 bags, 1 case, 5 boxes | 15 | 12 | 0 | 14 |
Plucks—6 boxes | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
Skirts—351 bags | 9 | 17 | 1 | 20 |
Sweetbreads —28 bags, 1 box | 0 | 12 | 2 | 20 |
Tails, Ox—64 bags and 16 loose | 2 | 4 | 3 | 18 |
Tongues, Ox—41 bags and 468 loose | 2 | 19 | 3 | 6 |
„ Sheep—435 bags | 4 | 9 | 1 | 3 |
Tripe —60 bags | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Sundries—14 bags, 6 cases, 2 boxes | 8 | 13 | 0 | 5 |
Total weight | 89 | 3 | 0 | 20 |