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257
[1900
It appears, according to the report of Dr. Melvin, of Bureau of Animal
Industry, from which Dr. Leffingwell quotes, that " The German Government
has not accepted the American certificate as having any sanitary value, and
has re-inspected, at the expense of the shipper, all pork received there from
the United States. Nevertheless, it has appeared to be desirable to continue
the microscopic inspection in this country in order to reduce the percentage of
trichinae found on re-inspection in other countries. This is an important
measure for maintaining the reputation of our meats, and one this country
cannot afford to neglect."
Strange to relate, a year later the American Department of Agriculture
decided to abandon altogether the examination for trichinae, and, therefore,
it is all the more necessary for us to look on American pork with suspicion.
These statements, coming from an American with a large experience of
the packing and meat trades of his country, should cause the consumers of pork
to be careful as to what they buy and eat. The matter is doubtless receiving
the attention of the Port Authorities who administer the regulations as to food
imports, and, of course, can hardly have been overlooked by the Food Department
of the Local Government Board, who possess considerable powers under
the Regulations made under the Public Health (Regulations as to Food) Act,
1907.
These Regulations have been framed with the object of securing that
articles of food which are unsound, unwholesome, or unfit for human consumption,
and which as part of the cargo of a ship are brought to this country, either
as a place of destination or as a place of deposit for transmission to a place of
destination elsewhere in the United Kingdom, shall be dealt with at the port of
discharge. This procedure is necessary for the prevention of danger to the
public health from the consumption of unsound or unwholesome food.
The Regulations began to take effect on the 1st October, 1908, and are
enforced in the districts of the various Port Sanitary Authorities.
Unsound Food.—During the year 2 tons, 4 cwt. 3 qrs. 18 lbs. of unsound
food were surrendered or seized, as compared with 5 tons, 7 cwt., 1 qr., 22 lbs.
in 1908, and 2 tons, 1 cwt., 0 qrs. 9 lbs. in 1907, and with 2 tons, 1 cwt. 1 qr.
2 lbs. in 1906. In 1908 the increased amount was due to the seizure of over
2 tons of tinned foods which were found in a canning works. Only 11 seizures
of unsound food were made under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and
after inquiry into the facts, the Public Health Committee ordered legal