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67
C.—PROTECTION OF THE FOOD
SUPPLY.
During the year 1907 a large amount of time and labour has
been spent, as formerly, upon the Protection of the Food Supply.
This has comprised meat inspection and seizure, registration and
inspection of the milkshops and dairies, the general inspection of
food and fruit, and the administration of the Sale of Food and
Drugs Acts. The various premises in which the preparation of
food takes place, directly or indirectly, have also been inspected,
including slaughter houses, butchers' shops, cowsheds, milkshops,
bakehouses, restaurant kitchens, etc.
MEAT.
At the time of the formation of the Borough of Finbury in 1900
the extra-Corporation meat market came within its jurisdiction.
This market is the second largest dead-meat market in London, the
City Corporation markets adjoining it being, of course, the largest.
In December, 1900, the Borough Council appointed a Special Meat
Inspector (Inspector G. T. Billing) to take supervision of this market
and of meat shops, or meat and food stores generally, throughout
the Borough. His work requires that he shall be on duty in the
market at an early hour in the morning, and at intervals he inspects
food elsewhere in the Borough. Meat is also inspected in every
part of the Borough by the Sanitary Inspectors, each in his own
district, and on Saturday nights and Sundays the "market streets"
are also regularly visited.
The mode of procedure has been as follows: If a salesman or
owner of meat calls in the Inspector to examine suspicious meat, and
at once surrenders what is unfit for food, this meat is confiscated
and destroyed, neither the vendor nor the Council being liable. In
cases of difficulty the Medical Officer of Health is sent for and consulted.
But if the Inspector takes the first step, and on his round