View report page

68
1929]
FOOD DESTROYED.

* Only 43 lbs. of this Tuberculous † 28 lbs. Tuberculous.
The total amount of unsound or diseased meat, fish, fruit, and other food
destroyed was 3 tons 2 cwt. 19 lbs. The diseases which affected animal food are
set out in detail on page 71.
UNSOUND FOOD.
An important prosecution in respect of unsound meat exposed for sale was
taken at the North London Police Court against a Holloway butcher. There
were two summonses, one in respect of 6 geese and 7 fowls unfit for human food,
and the other was in respect of 16 breasts, 3 necks and 3 shoulders of mutton, and
two pieces of cooked beef. The Food Inspector in the course of his duty on an
evening in August at 7 o'clock visited the said butcher's premises, and owing to
the stale appearance of some meat decided to inspect the stock. Immediately
inside the door were six geese and seven fowls which he found to be unfit for
human food on account of decomposition. The butcher alleged that they had just
been brought out of the cold store, but the fowls were found to be quite warm.
These were seized, and upon inspection of the cold room, which contained a
number of pieces of mutton, sirloin of beef, pieces of chilled beef, etc., he found
16 breasts, 3 necks and three shoulders which were unfit for human food, also two
pieces of cooked meat, which on account of their mouldy condition were thorougly
bad. The Magistrate pointed out that the law took a very serious view of these
cases and had fixed a maximum penalty of £50. In view, however, of the defendant
having nothing previously against him, he limited the fine to £5 and five
guineas costs on each of the summonses.
MERCURIAL POISONING.
In investigating a case of alleged illness after partaking of food, and which
at first sight might have been a case of food poisoning, an interesting case of
mercurial poisoning from grey powder came to notice. Cases of poisoning from
grey powder are very rare, only a few having been recorded in medical literature.
It is known that children stand mercury well and can stand larger doses in
proportion to their age than of other drugs, for instance, opium.
A mother took her child who was suffering from a skin eruption to St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, and purchased on her way home a quantity of fried haddock and
plaice. It was alleged that the child along with her sister had partaken of this
haddock, and the sister also had been taken ill, and the mother also complained of
pains in the 'stomach. It was also alleged that the child had had a bar of " nut "
chocolate, bought from a street vendor at Smithfield Market. The child took
suddenly ill during the night and vomited, was taken to the Royal Northern
Hospital, where his serious condition was recognised, and he was taken in. The