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13
Cowsheds and Slaughter-houses.—In 1880 the number of
cowsheds regularly inspected was 15, and the number of
cows licensed between two and three hundred; now there
remains but one cowshed, and that is licensed for 50 cows.
The licensed slaughter-houses number 7, the same as last
year, but in some of these comparatively little slaughtering is
now carried on. These premises were visited by the Public
Health Committee in October, besides frequent visits from
Inspectors during the year.
The several premises were mostly found in good order,
but slight repairs and amendments were required in some
instances, all of which were carried out before licensing
day.
The relative merits of private and public slaughter-houses
was brought under the notice of your Vestry by the circular
letters of the Board of Works for St. Giles and by the Maet
and Cattle Trade Section of the London Chamber of Commerce.
The St. Giles' Board expressed the opinion that
slaughter-houses should not be allowed to exist in crowded
districts in the metropolis, and suggested the establishment
in place thereof of public abattoirs. Among other advantages
a careful inspection of animals as to their state of health
before slaughtering and the immediate and complete inspection
of the carcases after death would be obtained. Exception
was taken by the Meat and Cattle Trade Section, on the
ground of expense, that the internal parts of animals provide
a cheap article of food for the poor, which is only good when
freshly slaughtered, that the abolition of private slaughterhouses
would result in the whole live cattle trade of London
passing into the hands of a few wholesale firms, and that