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52
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON MEAT INSPECTION.
The Meat Inspection Staff has been considerably depleted owing to the officers,
both inspectorial and clerical, leaving to join the forces. It has not been found possible
to obtain men, either outside the military age or unfitted for service, who can carry on this
work, but three temporary assistants have been trained, two of whom possess meat
inspection certificates, and they are being utilised as far as would appear to be desirable.
As a whole the staff has met the difficulties by working overtime; this being necessary
since food inspection work cannot be delayed in the expectation of a slacker day. In
general it may be assumed that each day's requirements have been invariably met, and
I desire to bring to your favourable notice the exertions which have been displayed by
every member of the staff and which enable me to report thus satisfactorily.
Among the various matters which have received consideration during the year I
need only mention the following:—
Importation of Frozen Meat from Brazil. (See printed Report No. 191).
The conclusions at which I arrived in connection with Brazilian Beef were
as follows:—"The dressing in the first consignments was poor, but in later
"deliveries was much improved. The quality was good as regards the chilled,
"but less satisfactory in the case of the frozen part of the consignment, and I
"think it is desirable, if any considerable trade is to be established in this
"country, that supervision should be exercised at the time of slaughter."
Importation of Foreign Beef from Rhodesia. (See printed Report No. 191).
The importation of Rhodesian Beef received brief notice, and observations
were made that "there have been about 11,000 carcases received during the past
"six months. The condition has been good, but the quality shows this meat to
"be very mixed and improperly graded. No cattle under six years are supposed
"to be slaughtered."
An instruction class in meat inspection was held at the Central Markets each
Tuesday morning. Lectures and demonstrations were given to men of the 2nd City of
London Sanitary Company. The lectures were delivered by your Medical Officer of
Health, and demonstrations were given, chiefly by Mr. Sharp, Senior Inspector, and at
times by Mr. Kelland, who is acting as Mr. Sharp's chief assistant at the present time.
Your Medical Officer of Health also lectured on five or six occasions at the Royal
Sanitary Institute to the members of the No. 1 City of London Sanitary Company.
Altogether about 500 men attended the first course of lectures, and perhaps 300
the second.
On the instructions of the Central Markets Committee I reported from the sanitary
standpoint as to the reception and sale of live poultry in the London Central Markets.
I expressed the opinion that it was desirable that there should not be close association
between the stalls on which cut sections of meat were exposed for sale and those at
which a trade in live and dead poultry was carried on. It would appear desirable that
there should be a sharp line of demarcation between the areas allocated to the sale of
these respective foods.