London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of London 1912
Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the City of London for the year 1912
This page requires JavaScript
61
REPORT OF THE VETERINARY INSPECTOR.
The Report of the Superintendent of the Central Markets shows that for the year
ending 31st December, 1912, there was a decrease of 3,522 tons in the quantity of food
delivered in the Central Markets, Smithfield.
Comparison, 1912 and 1911.
| Source. | 1912. | 1911. | Ratio per cent, | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 116,865 | 99,038 | increase | 18.0 |
| Australia | 91,688 | 96,780 | decrease | 5.0 |
| U.S.A. and Canada (home killed) | 8,393 | 29,048 | „ | 71.0 |
| U.S.A. (chilled and frozen) | 2,913 | 8,022 | „ | 63.7 |
| South American (chilled and frozen) | 165,811 | 152,312 | increase | 8.8 |
| Continent. | 44,613 | 48,523 | „ | 8.0 |
| Total Meat, Poultry, &c. | 430,283 | 433,723 | decrease | .8 |
| Fish | 1,511 | 1,593 | „ | 5.1 |
| 431,794 | 435,316 | „ | .8 | |
As will be seen by a subsequent table, the total amount of meat imported into the
United Kingdom during 1912 was 667,492 tons, therefore nearly one-half of this
great quantity of meat passed through the Central Markets, and if we take into account
the amount of meat which was deposited in the City Cold Stores and subsequently sold
without passing through the Markets, we may assume that almost three-fourths of the
meat imported into this country passes under the supervision of the meat inspectors of
the City of London.
Every year shows an increase in the quantities of frozen and chilled meat imported into this country, and a decrease in the number of animals imported for slaughter at the ports of landing. The following figures are interesting:— Live Stock Imports.
| Year. | Cattle. | Sheep and Lambs. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1907 | 472,015 | 105,601 | ||
| 1912 | 48,912 | 15,430 | ||
| Decrease | 423,103 | 90,171 | ||
| Meat Imports. | ||||
| Year. | Quarters of Beef (Chilled). | Quarters of Beef (Frozen). | Carcases of | |
| Mutton. | Lambs. | |||
| 1907 | 3,162,189 | 1,614,389 | 5,801,535 | 4,348,992 |
| 1912 | 3,897,341 | 2,697.709 | 6,676,606 | 5,332,559 |
| Increase | 735,152 | 1,083,320 | 875,071 | 983,567 |
As showing the continued shrinkage in numbers of live stock imported, it is with
regret we note that for three months prior to writing this report, no animals have been
landed at the Deptford Market, where a few years ago the number of animals killed
per day often exceeded 1,000 cattle and 2,000 sheep.
The following particulars taken from Messrs. Weddel's report are instructive in
showing how much this country depends on importations for its meat supply:—