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Report of the County Medical Officer—General. 61
The medical officer of the City of London reports that 1,156 tons of meat, poultry, etc., was
seized in the Central-market, 57 tons from cold stores, and 60 tons from other markets and shops in
the City. Ten per cent, of the meat seized was found to be diseased, 80 per cent, unsound, and 10 per
cent, unwholesome ; 1,350 tons or .6 per cent, of the fish delivered at or near Billingsgate-market was
condemned as unsound.
In boroughs where there are street markets these places receive special attention from the food inspectors
and in many districts visits are paid daily (including Sundays) to these markets. Fruit (raw
or preserved) and tinned fish or meat formed the bulk of the food condemned.
In Marylebone samples of suspected food were submitted to a bacteriological examination.
Dr. Allan gives details of three outbreaks of illness in Westminster which appeared to have been due to
food contamination. Eleven waiters at a hotel were taken ill after eating a preparation of rice and
chicken broth, and in one case the illness was fatal. Investigation led to the conclusion that the rice
had become contaminated in some way, and it was found that the chicken broth formed a good medium
for the growth of the organisms. The sanitary conditions at the premises were good. Another outbreak
in Westminster followed the consumption of smoked sardines. Examination of similar tins, however,
did not show that any were defective and the sardines in those that were sampled were quite good. The
third outbreak affected 150 soldiers of a territorial regiment quartered in Westminster, and appeared
to be due to the storage of stewed plums in galvanised vessels, the presence of zinc oxide being detected
in a sample analysed.
Fried fish vendors and fish curers.
By-laws made by the London County Council and approved by the Local Government Board for
controlling these businesses came into operation during the year. These by-laws provide for the efficient
lighting and ventilation of the premises and for rendering the walls and floors capable of being properly
cleansed, for ensuring the cleanliness of vessels and utensils, for the prevention of the escape of effluvium
which would cause nuisance, and for the cleanliness and freedom from infectious disease of the persons
engaged in the business. In several reports of medical officers mention is made of registers kept of such
premises and notices served where the by-laws are not being observed, and it is stated that as a consequence
of the inspection carried out an improvement has been noted in the conduct of these businesses.
The following figures, which are taken from the annual reports, show the extent to which
the existing shelters were used during the year 1914, for the accommodation of persons and families,
while their homes were being disinfected.
Metropolitan borough.
No. of persons
accommodated.
Metropolitan borough.
No. of persons
accommodated.
City of London
Kensington
(a)
Battersea
—
Lambeth
—
Bermondsev
Lewisham
13
Bethnal Green
15
Paddington
(a)
Camberwell
—
Poplar
—
Chelsea
49
St. Marylebone
9
Deptford
—
St. Pancras
1 family
Finsbury
6
Shoreditch
—
Fulham
—
Southwark
—
Greenwich
—
Stepney
104
Hackney
24
Stoke Newington
—
Hammersmith
—
Wandsworth
—
Hampstead
—
Westminster, City of
—
Holborn
3(a)
Woolwich
6
Islington
13
Mortuaries.
The number of bodies received into the mortuaries of the metropolitan borough councils
during the year is shown in the following table :—
Metropolitan borough.
Total
number of
bodies
received into
mortuary.
Number of
infectious
bodies
received into
mortuary.
Metropolitan borough.
Total
number of
bodies
received into
mortuary.
Number of
infectious
bodies
received into
mortuary.
City of London
194
—
Kensington
296
3
Battersea
246
12
Lambeth
435
—
Bermondsey
195
1
Lewisham
150
2
Bethnal Green
332
6
Paddington
321
3
Camberwell
313
1
Poplar
437
—
Chelsea
135
—
St. Marylebone
325
2
Deptford
85
3
St. Pancras
439
6
Finsbury
358
8
Shoreditch
501
2
Fulham
149
—
Southwark
621
1
Greenwich
149
2
Stepney
518
4
Hackney
477
1
Stoke Newington
54
Hammersmith
190
2
Wandsworth
190
—
Hampstead
78
—
Westminster, City of
323
—
Holborn
76
1
Woolwich
190
2
Islington
537
—
(a) No shelter maintained by borough council. In the case of Holborn 3 persons Were accommodated in the
Finsbury Borough Council's shelter.