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78
INSPECTION OF FOOD AT RIVERSIDE WHARVES.
This question, which had been under consideration for some time, was
carefully enquired into by your Medical Officer. It was found that there was
no difficulty in carrying this out with your present staff of Inspectors.
It is unnecessary, as well as impracticable, to examine every consignment
received at the wharves in detail, and it is quite sufficient that periodical
visits be made and samples taken from various consignments and inspected
on the spot, all cases of doubt being referred to your Medical Officer for
decision.
This is the practice followed under similar circumstances by the Port
Authority, and is found to answer all requirements. Instructions have been
therefore given to your Inspectors to make such systematic examination of
food stuffs deposited at the wharves within their several districts, and to keep
a record of the same. Information as to the arrival of consignments is
obtained from Customs Bill B, which is delivered daily at the Guildhall.
It will scarcely ever become necessary to take proceedings against the
owners, who are able to protect themselves by procedure under Section 47,
Sub-section 8, of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, which enacts that:
"Where a person has in his possession any article which is unsound or un"wholesome,
or unfit for the food of man, he may, by written notice to the
"Sanitary Authority, specifying such article, and containing a sufficient
"identification of it, request its removal, and the Sanitary Authority shall
"cause it to be removed as if it were trade refuse," i.e., at the cost of the
owner or person having possession of it.
This action is most important, for, although the owners of wharves in the
City would not be likely to make use of such material, there is undoubtedly a
market for food however unfit it may be, and unless destroyed under the
supervision of a Sanitary Authority, there is always the danger of its falling
into the hands of unscrupulous persons, and being " re-processed " or dealt
with in such a way that it can be disposed of as food.
DISPOSAL OF UNSOUND FOOD.
While on this question it may be as well to refer to the serious question of
the method of disposal of unsound food seized by your Officers.
At present this is dealt with by a firm who have held the contract for some
years, and who, without doubt, have done their work honestly and well.
The condemned meat from the Markets, while awaiting removal, is placed
in large tanks containing an antiseptic solution.
As the result of careful experiment I have succeeded in obtaining a fluid
which, while preserving the meat for a considerable time without nuisance,
imparts to it a brilliant violet colour, which cannot be removed, and renders
it unsaleable.