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districts, including the flesh of tuberculous pigs in St. Pancras and nearly 1,000 lbs. of tuberculous
pork in Paddington.
It is interesting to note the result of examination of glands, other than those presenting naked
eye appearances of disease, which yielded positive results in an instance recorded by Dr. Allan who
thus writes of tuberculous pork seized in Westminster. "In certain cases where only the head
was found and only one gland was visibly affected, it was thought desirable to have a bacteriological
examination of the other glands which presented a sound appearance to the naked eye. This was done
by Professor R. Tanner Hewlett, of King's College, who reported that as the result of his examination
he had no doubt that these glands were also tuberculous. This supports the view taken by the Royal
Commission in their report (1898) and disposes of a contention which is not infrequently urged before
the magistrate that the affection is slight and of no serious import."
Dr. Reginald Dudfield gives account of the number of carcases in 1905, from which the glands
had been removed and which he inspected in Paddington. Thus of 1,100 Dutch pigs 57 had been
stripped, of 900 English pigs 48 had been stripped, and of 400 from other countries 16 had been stripped.
None of these carcases were condemned and he says c
" That there is good reason to believe that the majority of, if not all, the - stripped - carcases were tubercular,
is evidenced by the facts that the parts removed were frequently abnormal, and that morbid changes—the nature of
which was not recognisable by the naked eye as tubercular—were found in other parts of the bodies. It is commonly
found that the spaces left after removing the glands are considerably larger than they would be after removal of healthy
glands. The tonsils arc the glands most frequently removed. In many cases the other glands, such as the inguinal,
iliac, parotid, etc, are. also cut into, sometimes minced up so that the naked eye can hardly recognise the gland structure.
Such glands have been found enlarged, discoloured and unhealthy in carcases from which the enlarged tonsils had
previously been removed. It has also been found that, where the tonsils have been removed, leaving large, wet vacuities,
and no other glands have been cut into, the latter, when examined, have proved to be tubercular. On one or two
occasions fragments of tubercular disease have been left after removal of the tonsils. : ; : ; ; The fact that the
vacuities are found moist indicates that the ' stripping' has been but a short time before the examination. It is not
done in the borough, as the carcases have been frequently examined as delivered from the carrier's cart.
Whatever may be the result of further knowledge as to the need for following the recommendations
of the Royal Commission of 1898, that the flesh of swine should be dealt with on lines different
from those thought sufficient for the flesh of other animals, there is no doubt that if the meat of pigs
having tubercular glands is to be allowed to be sold for human food it is especially necessary that the
operations of the butcher in the excision of diseased parts should be subject to the supervision of
responsible authorities, who should ensure that the removal of tuberculous tissue is complete. There is
now no administration which provides this assurance.
The absence of any adequate administration for the purpose of inspection of meat gives opportunity
to persons in all parts of the country to send to London meat which would not be allowed to be
consumed in any Continental city where meat is brought under inspection. With a view to checking, as
far as is practicable under existing conditions, the introduction of diseased meat from the country,
the Stepney Borough Council in January, 1905, addressed a letter to other London Sanitary Authorities
inviting them to join in representation to the Local Government Board on the need for amendment
of the law so as to enable sanitary authorities to proceed against the original vendor of unsound
meat to which the attention of the sanitary authority is directed by the local butcher receiving it. The
circumstances which are held to make this amendment necessary are stated as follows—
" The medical officer of health has pointed out to them that at the present time if a person in the country sells
to a butcher in town carcases of diseased animals, and the butcher, acting in a straightforward manner, and before
he tries to sell the meat, requests the sanitary authority to examine it, and such meat is condemned, the sanitary
authority cannot successfully institute legal proceedings against the original vendor of the meat, because at the time of
its surrender the meat is not ' exposed for sale or deposited in any place for the purpose of sale or of preparation for
sale.' Proceedings cannot be successfully taken if the meat be seized in transit, as it is not then exposed or deposited
for sale as human food, and therefore the original vendor cannot be proceeded against. Again, after delivery to the
consignee has actually taken place, it is sometimes ascertained that the latter is a cat's meat purveyor who is used by
the original vendor as a medium for the distribution of the meat for human consumption. Here again, it is impossible
to obtain a conviction against the original vendor."
The Sale of Ice Cream.
In several of the annual reports it is stated that premises in which ice cream is manufactured
or sold are in better condition than formerly, and Dr. Harris reports that the vendors of this commodity
in Islington, who are mostly Italians, are year by year becoming amenable to rule and more anxious
to prepare their goods under satisfactory conditions. In a number of instances, however, the intervention
of the sanitary authority was needed to enforce the provisions of the London County Council
(General Powers) Act of 1902, the condition needing remedy being mostly dirty premises or the
manufacture of ice cream in living or sleeping rooms. No prevalence of disease was attributed
during the year to the consumption of ice cream, although cases of infectious disease occurred on
the premises of some of the vendors, thus in one instance (in Battersea) a person suffering from
scarlet fever was found in the same room as that in which the ice cream was being manufactured.
The large majority of the annual reports supply information from which it has been possible
to prepare the following table showing the proceedings of sanitary authorities in 1905 in connection
with this subject.