London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Islington 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
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One sample was submitted for examination for residual insecticides. This was beef fat
from an animal slaughtered in this borough. Traces found were well below that which might
alarm. There will always be the need, however, for continued vigilance.
FORMAL
| Fruit drink concentrates | 5 |
| Junior food | 1 |
| Beef in jelly | 1 |
| 7 |
INFORMAL
| Soft drinks & | Tomato paste | 9 | |
| fruit concentrates | 20 | Sugar confectionery | 6 |
| Bread & rolls | 13 | Vegetables | 5 |
| Canned foods | 10 | Milk bottles | 5 |
| Cakes & biscuits | 9 | Others | 34 |
| 111 |
54 samples sent for bacteriological examination were mainly of meat products, some of
which were intended for export. These were in addition to milk and ice cream samples referred
to later in this report.
MEAT INSPECTION REGULATIONS 1963/1966
MEAT INSPECTION
At the private slaughterhouse referred to elsewhere in this report, slaughtering is
normally carried out daily, involving the attendance of one or more public health inspectors.
The following is a summary of action taken during the year:-
| Cattle excluding Cows | Cows | Calves | Sheep | Pigs | Horses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number killed | 196 | 1. 311 | 167 | 367 | - | 381 |
| Number inspected | 196 | 1, 311 | 167 | 367 | - | 381 |
| All disease except tuberculosis & cysticercus bovis:- | ||||||
| Whole carcases condemned | 13 | 32 | 2 | 18 | - | 1 |
| Carcases of which some part or organ was condemned | 141 | 1, 116 | 84 | 193 | _ | 184 |
| Percentages of the number inspected affected with disease other than tuberculosis and cysticercus bovis | 78.6% | 87.6% | 51.5% | 57. 5% | 48.6% |
One cow carcase was condemned for tuberculosis, 0.08% of the number inspected. There
was one whole cow carcase condemned and one cattle carcase of which some part or organ was
condemned, because of cysticercus bovis.
Of the 381 horses slaughtered for human consumption, the majority were intended for
export.
In addition to the inspection of carcases at the slaughterhouse, a large amount of
time was spent by the Senior Meat Inspector in inspecting meat and other foods in the many
wholesale butcher establishments, food warehouses and bacon factories in that part of the
Borough adjacent to Staithfield Meat Market. Apart from meat, offals and bacon, which were
both imported and home killed, the Inspector was engaged in examining poultry, game,
rabbits, sausage casings and canned goods.
67