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43 [1923
The total amount of unsound or diseased meat, fish, fruit, and other food destroyed
was 9 tons 16 cwts. 0 qrs. 23 lbs. The diseases which affected animal food are set out in
detail on page 44.
Shops, etc., Inspection of.—The total 632 shops and places where foodstuffs are
sold may be approximated for the year as follows :
Butchers', provision dealers', etc., shops, 215 ; meat, provisions, rabbits, tinned foods,
etc., stalls, 25; food preparation establishments, 18; fish shops, 103; fish stalls, 11 ;
fruit shops, 200 ; and about 60 fruit, etc., stalls and barrows. To these 17,655 visits were
paid, apportioned as follows :
Butchers, Provision Dealers, etc., Shops 7,363 visits.
Food Preparation Establishments 162 „
Butchers', Provision, etc., Stalls 1,502 „
Fish Shops 1,276 „
Fish Stalls 656 „
Fruit Shops 2,559 „
Fruit Stalls 4,137 „
Total 17,655
Contamination by Dust.—There has been an increasing practice of recent years
of exposing meat without adequate protection from dust and flies. Not only has this
been the custom of the street trader, but the shopkeeper, where the street line permits
of it and he has a right to the space in front of his shop, has very frequently by the erection
of a stall in front, exposed the cuts of meat he has for sale.
A striking ocular demonstration of how such exposed meat is contaminated was
provided by a tradesman who called upon the Medical Officer of Health with some pork
chops which showed curious spotting. There was a centre black speck surrounded by a
ring of dark brown. On going into the matter the cause was traced. The road had been
recently tarred and, as a result of weather conditions and the constant traffic, a certain
amount of tar dust was formed. Each spot on the fat of the pork represented a small,
invisible speck of tar which had been deposited on the pork and dissolved by the fat.
The moral was pointed out to the tradesman, who seemed to realise if this could happen
with tar it was also happening, although not seen, with other matter with which the street
is polluted.
The keen competition where one trader exposes the food to the gaze and handling of
those marketing, was said to make it impossible for the other trader, who would willingly
have his food adequately protected, not to imitate his energetic and thoughtless neighbour.
The extent to which this food exposure is carried on makes it absolutely necessary
that legislation should be promoted, for until it is compulsory on all to protect the class of
food liable to contamination, it seems practically impossible for the majority of the traders
to comply with what should be a public demand, namely, the adequate protection of the
food from dust and flies. There should be an education of the public conscience to buy
from the careful trader.