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55
MUTTON AND LAMB.
7,690,737 carcases of frozen mutton and lamb from Australia, New Zealand and
South America were discharged from vessels in the Port of London during the year,
being 279,595 carcases less than the previous year's total.
With few exceptions the meat was in good condition and only 14 tons 3 cwts.
2 qrs. 3 lbs. comprising 634 carcases and 252 pieces, were seized as unfit for human food.
The largest quantity seized on any vessel was about 5 tons.
PORK.
The pork seized and destroyed comprised 25 carcases, 3 pieces and 88 packages
each containing 2 sides, the total weight being 7 tons 14 cwts. 2 qrs. 13 lbs.
Nineteen of the carcases and one piece were found to be effected with Tuberculosis,
and a list of these will be found in Table XXVIII.
The remainder was unsound.
PIG-CARCASES FROM CHINA.
The s.s. "Brodmore," from Hankow, arrived on the 8th January with 3,814
Chinese pig-carcases on board. The carcases were not consigned to London and,
therefore, were not examined by your Inspectors. The vessel sailed from London for
Liverpool with the carcases on board on the 18th January, and the facts were reported
to the Medical Officer of Health for that Port.
The s.s. "Carmarthenshire" arrived on the 16th April. Amongst the cargo were
50 pig-carcases from Shanghai and 40 from Harbin. These were examined and it was
found that 4 of those from Shanghai and 3 from Harbin were effected with Tuberculosis,
and they were accordingly seized and destroyed, the remainder being passed.
There were also 56 packages from Manchuria, which, on examination, were found
to contain portions of the carcases of pigs, namely, the sides.
This meat clearly came within the description of Foreign Meat, Class 1, as defined
by the Public Health (Foreign Meat) Regulations, 1908, Article 1, (i) (C) inasmuch as
"the expression Foreign Meat, Class 1, means Foreign Meat in the form of severed
" parts of the carcase of a pig, or of other edible parts of a pig, which have not, before
" importation, been salted, cured, pickled, dried, or smoked, or otherwise prepared as
"bacon or ham, and which are not contained in a box, case, receptacle, or package vvirh
" an official certificate impressed thereon, or affixed or attached thereto." No official
certificate has been recognised in regard to China as yet.
As the importation of Foreign Meat of Class 1 is prohibited, a Notice was served
(under Article V of the Foreign Meat Regulations) upon the importers, forbidding the
removal of the pork for any purpose other than exportation.
In the course of a preliminary examination of the meat, one side was inspected and
found to be diseased and was accordingly seized and destroyed, the remainder being
exported.