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wharves when the contents of the dust carts are discharged into
the barges.
The return of articles of food that have been destroyed includes
not only those in respect of compulsory proceedings having been
taken, but also those which have been voluntarily surrendered;
among the latter class is included practically the whole of the fish
which is specified as having been dealt with in the destructor.
The slaughter-houses have been visited at intervals, and also
once by myself prior to the annual licensing. It was not found
necessary to oppose any applications for these places.
The meat that was seized was taken on account of its unwholesome
condition, none having been condemned during the year
on account of tubercle or any other disease. Following the usual
custom, inspection was made of the meat in the various restaurants
in the Borough on a given day, notice being only given to the
Inspectors in the morning. The result was satisfactory, for the
examinations showed that the intended food was of wholesome
quality.
Twenty-seven samples of milk were taken for examination
bacteriologically and the tubercle bacillus was not discovered in any
of them.
There were the usual inspections of the cowhouses, &c, which
amounted to 217, excluding those which I made myself before the
meeting of the Licensing Committee of the London County Council.
They were usually found in such good condition that it was only
necessary to serve notices in respect of them in 2 instances. The
inspections of shops where milk is sold amounted to 413, and in regard
to 45 of them the report was unsatisfactory, one of the most frequent
defects being carelessness in leaving the milk uncovered and exposed
to contamination from the dust blown in from the street, as well as
that arising in the shop. It was found that the small general shops
that sold milk, taken as a class, did not compare unfavourably with
the dairies.
The special appointment of a Meat Inspector was recommended
by me and discussed by the Committee, and the late Inspector
Kerslake, one of your officers who had obtained the special meat
certificate of the Royal Sanitary Institute, was considered to have
strong claims for the post, but it was eventually decided to make no
such appointment, but that all the Inspectors would have formal
authority given to them to seize food in any part of the Borough
instead of their powers as heretofore being confined to their own
particular districts.
The number of complaints shows a slight diminution, but the
inspections they gave rise to were a few more than last year. The
house-to-house inspections also show a falling off, due to the illness
of Inspectors Kerslake and Homer. The other items in the tables
of Inspectors' work, while revealing much activity, do not call for
any detailed notice, except that item of light and ventilation to staircases,
when it will be seen that these were provided in 98 instances
through our persuading the owners. Since the Council lost a case it