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Of these prosecutions 9 were in respect of diseased meat and 15
of unsound meat. 11 of them were taken against firms in or around the
central meat market, 9 against shops or stalls in the market streets,
and 4 in other butchers shops.
Convictions were secured in every case and in three cases prison
sentences of 6 months. 6 weeks and one month respectively without
option of a fine, were imposed. In 6 cases the fines were of £50 or
more in 4' of £25 or more, in 8 of £5 or more and in 3 of less than £5,
were imposed.
The total amount of meat surrendered was rather more than 30 tons.
Milk
In 1901 there were 8 licensed cowkeepers with in all, 150 cows.
There were 267 registered milk shops who obtained their supply mostly
from wholesale dealers(often more than one) who in their turn obtained
it from scattered firms in remote parts of the country.
These shops were regularly inspected but sterilisation of the
vessels and strict cleanliness as we recognise it today was unknown.
252 samples of milk were submitted to the Public Analyst who
reported on 56 of them, that they were adulterated. Legal proceedings
were instituted in 32 (21 for varying percentages of added water, 2
being of as much as 20 per cent and 11 for abstraction of fat to varying
amounts, 1 being for 34 per cent and 2 for 23 per cent.) In addition
a prosecution was also undertaken for 'sending a servant out with a milk
perambulator and churn' without a name and address on either. Convictions
were secured in all cases and small fines imposed.
In 1963 there were no cows kept in the Borough and there were 135
registered milk sellers. Although the original source was in the
country as before yet all the milk was heat treated and practically
all of it bottled by the distributors before arrival in the Borough
and vigorous control of its handling at all stages in respect of hygiene
was carried out.
Tuberculosis in relation to meat and milk. A violent constroversy raged
in 1901 as to whether the germ of bovine tuberculosis could infect man,
and in July of that year Professor Koch the original discoverer of the
germ stated in London that he firmly believed this not to be possible,
in spite of increasing evidence to the contrary. The Government
immediately set up a Royal commission to enquire into the matter and
advised local authorities to continue in the meantime the control of
tuberculous milk and meat. There was no break in the measures taken
in this Borough which were designed to protect the public from a danger
of infection now known to have been great in relation to milk and
possibly in regard to meat although in the latter case the germs would
probably be killed by cooking.
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