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255
[1908
INSPECTOR WILKINSON'S REPORT.
Public Health Department,
Town Hall,
Upper Street, N.
April 30th, 1909.
To the Medical Officer of Health.
Dear Sir,—I have pleasure in submitting the following report bearing on my duties
for the year 1908.
Inspection of Slaughterhouses.—There were at the commencement of the year 37
licensed slaughterhouses within the borough, but three of these were not renewed at the annual
licensing Sessions of the London County Council in October last, there being no applications
owing to the premises being vacant, and no application for renewal of any one of these has
since been made. The premises in question are situated respectively at the rear of 174,
Caledonian Road, 52, Packington Street, and 317, New North Road.
The conduct of the slaughterhouses generally has been very satisfactory during a total
of 2,008 visits, and any requests for repairs to structural defects or better observance of the
by-laws have been readily complied with.
The number of animals slaughtered was as follows:—
Oxen Calves Sheep and lambs Pigs Total.
1,941 86 28,476 4 30,507
That of the previous year being as under, viz.:—
Oxen Cows Calves Sheep and lambs Pigs Total
2,146 4 142 24,380 2 26,674
The quality of the animals slaughtered has been generally of the best, and, as will
be seen by a perusal of the following table, only two whole carcases and the fore-quarters
of a third were surrendered on account of tuberculosis, which is not much more than
1 per 1,000 slaughtered, and that has been about the average loss to the trade so far as the
Islington private slaughter houses are concerned during the past five years.
This in itself is proof that the quality of the animals purchased, so far as outward
appearances show, is of the best, as the doss concerned on that account does not equal 6d.
per head of the cattle slaughtered. It is therefore somewhat singular that the very animal—
which was made a test case last year as to the liability of the farmer when an animal bought
at full market value proved to be so diseased as to be unfit for the purpose for which it
was intended, and which has since resulted in the National Federation of Meat Traders
resolving in future to demand a warranty with each animal purchased—should have been
one of so few found in the Islington private slaughter houses.
Other animals found to be affected with the same disease were ondy so in a very
slight degree, or strictly localised in extent, as shown in the following table. A summary of
parasitic organs and also other abnormal conditions will also be found in the same table.