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265
[1909
INSPECTOR WILKINSON'S REPORT.
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Upper Street, N.
April 25th, 1910.
To the Medical Officer of Health.
Dear Sir,—I have pleasure in submitting the following report in connection with my
duties concerned in the inspection of various premises where food-stuffs are deposited for
sale or preparation, and the fitness or otherwise for human food of the various foods thus
coming under observation, for the year 1909.
Slaughterhouses.—The number of licensed slaughterhouses remains the same as in the
previous year, viz., 34, and during a total of 1,863 visits they were in general found to be
satisfactorily kept and conducted.

it will thus be seen that there were 172 less bovines killed, 14 more calves, 8,003 more
sheep and lambs, 2 more goats and 4 less pigs, or a total of 7,843 animals more than in the
previous year.
This shows a continued annual reduction in the number of oxen slaughtered, which
is due to varying causes, no doubt principally to the fact that English killed beef can usually
be bought at the Smithfield Market at a lower price than that purchased alive and slaughtered
on their own licensed premises, and consequently when prices are generally somewhat high
and competition very keen, traders are driven by stress of circumstances to buy dead meat,
although they are well aware that meat slaughtered as near as practicable to their own Bhop
not only presents a much cleaner and better appearance, but will actually resist decomposition
for days longer than the former, owing to the fact that dead meat, or meat specially killed
for the wholesale market, generally is subjected to much handling and trucking about (very
often with far too little care from a sanitary standpoint) before rigor mortis is allowed to run
its proper course.
Then again, within the past two years circumstances have arisen which have caused
a considerable number of oxen to be killed in the slaughterhouses at the Metropolitan Cattle
Market, for a butcher within the Borough who had previously had slaughtering accommodation
in the Roman Road slaughterhouse.
The numbers of other animals slaughtered as compared with recent previous years
show little change, excepting that of sheep and lambs, which have further increased during
the year by 8,003. This is mainly due to a wholesale firm of mutton butchers having, since
the close of the year 1908, conducted their slaughtering at the Roman Road slaughterhouse,
which was previously carried on at the Cattle Market.
The quality of the animals slaughtered generally has been of the best, and the
number diseased comparatively small. Only one ox was found to be suffering from
generalised tuberculosis, and this was a very well nourished carcase, and had cost
Fortunately, the butcher had received a warranty as to soundness at the time of purchase,
the seller covering the risk by insurance with his bankers, who had to pay out the actual
loss to the butcher.
I much regret to find that this system of warranty and insurance has not made the
progress I had hoped it would, owing to strong opposition on the part of feeders and dealers
and the want of uniform and universal meat inspection, whereby the risk would be equally
distributed amongst all traders, whereas at present the risk is unfairly divided between them,
owing to the fact that in some instances a sharp look-out is kept over all animals slaughtered,
whilst on the other hand, in very many instances there is practically no inspection at all.