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207
[1902
INSPECTOR WILKINSON'S REPORT.
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Upper Street, N.
To A. E. Harris, Esq., March, 1903.
Medical Officer of Health.
Dear Sir,
I have pleasure in submitting my report for the year 1902, being my first annual report
on the inspection of slaughterhouses, butchers' shops, stalls, etc., the cowsheds and offensive
trade establishments within the Borough.
At the commencement of the year there were 44 slaughter-houses on the register, two of which
were allowed to lapse in October last at the Annual Licensing Session of the London County
Council, in consequence of the premises being at that time unoccupied. One of these was situate
at 18, Fonthill Road, and the other at 68, King Henry's Walk.
The number of visits paid to slaughter-houses during the year was 2,565, and I have to report
that the bye-laws have been duly observed and the premises generally kept in satisfactory sanitary
condition.

The animals slaughtered are mostly young and of the finest quality, and it is satisfactory to
note a gradual decrease in the amount of diseased carcases found on these premises, as shewn in
the quarterly reports of the Meat Inspector during the last four years; but it is probable that
many of the animals now slaughtered and condemned as unfit for human consumption at the
slaughter-houses in connection with the Metropolitan Cattle Market would find their way to
some of the private slaughter-houses in the immediate neighbourhood were it not for the fact
that inspection is not less rigorously carried out in the latter. Of the 44,785 animals slaughtered
during the year, 307 were found to be diseased or presenting some abnormal condition in either
the carcase or some individual organ or organs, thus requiring special attention regarding their
fitness or otherwise for human consumption.
Of the 307 animals thus affected, 95, or 30.94 per cent., were due to tuberculosis, mainly in a
localised form, 89 of which were cows, 5 oxen, 2 bulls and 1 pig; the remaining 212 being due
to various abnormal conditions, chiefly caused by different parasites, principally " Distoma
Hepaticum," or fluke worm investing the liver, " Echinococus Veterinorum " found in different
internal organs, and pseudo-tuberculosis sometimes found in the lungs and liver. Further particulars
of these will be found in the table herewith appended.
Only in 11 cases was it found necessary to condemn the entire carcase and all organs, 6 of
which were cows affected with generalised tuberculosis, 3 sheep which were dropsical and
emaciated, and 2 sheep due to asphyxia.
Nearly the whole of these carcases were found to be well nourished, and had doubtless been
purchased without a suspicion of their diseased condition, their loss to the owners being thus
considerable and very keenly felt in some instances; but I am pleased to report that the wellmerited
confidence of the butchers which was reposed in your late Inspector has so far been
extended unto me, inasmuch as the whole of these carcases were destroyed by the owners' consent,
without even calling in expert opinion. This is indeed very satisfactory, for whilst it may
be submitted that the theory of the non-transmissibility of bovine tuberculosis to human beings
as propounded by Professor Koch may not be shared by other scientists, or even by the general
public, yet it can be readily understood that such a theory by such an authority will find root to
some extent in the minds of those who from time to time suffer heavy pecuniary losses with-