Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
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38
MEAT INSPECTION.
The following records of work done in connection with meat inspection have
been prepared by Mr. Dunlop Young.
The net increase in importations (106,999 tons) is mostly accounted for by
the increase in receipts of chilled beef (99,674 tons).
It will be observed from the foregoing table that the total amount of beef,
mutton and lamb deposited for sale in the Market was 364,612 tons, an increase of
39,194 tons or 12 per cent. over the preceding year. Home grown supplies
amounted to 53,559 tons,being 14,634 tons less than in 1920 and only 14.7 per cent.
in 1917 of the total supply of meat sold on the Market compared with 575 per cent.
Although the quantity was small the quality was good and good prices were
realised. The wholesale price of all classes of meat gradually decreased and the
public should have benefited to greater extent than it has done.
The result of the examinations made by the inspectors showed that there
continues to exist a great lack of satisfactory meat inspection at the places of origin in
this country, which it is hoped the recommendations made by the Departmental
Committee on Meat Inspection may remedy, if they are carried out as they should be.
IMPORTED MEAT FOR THE YEAR 1921.—According to the Board of Trade Returns, the total weights of the various descriptions of frozen and chilled meat imported into the United Kingdom during the past three years, contrasted with 1913 and the values of the 1921 arrivals, were as follows, viz.:—
From. | 1913. | 1919. | 1920. | 1921. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | ||||
Australia | 150,666 | 69,044 | 154,743 | 104,732 | |||
New Zealand | 122,234 | 121,209 | 197,305 | 263,665 | |||
Argentine | 409,211 | 242,128 | 364,808 | 444,539 | |||
Uruguay | 29,717 | 21,322 | 41,774 | 67,093 | |||
United States | 74 | 42,809 | 11,233 | 8,903 | |||
Other Countries | 8,355 | 31,842 | 40,552 | 28,482 | |||
Total | 720,257 | 528,354 | 810,415 | 917,414 | |||
From. | Increase or Decrease in 1921 compared with 1920. | Total Import Value, 1921. | Value per ton. | ||||
Tons. | |||||||
Australia | . 50,011 | 7,193,076 | = 68 | ||||
New Zealand | + 66,360 | 20,937,998 | = 79 | ||||
Argentine | + 79,731 | 33,277,407 | =75 | ||||
Uruguay | + 25,319 | 4,921,938 | = 73 | ||||
United States | 2,330 | 803,050 | = 90 | ||||
Other Countries | — 12,070 | 2,570,175 | = 90 | ||||
Total | + 106,999 | 69,703,644 | = 76 |
The following table, compiled from statistics furnished by the Market Superintendent, shows the weights of the various descriptions of foodstuffs handled on Smithfield Market in 1920 and 1921:—
Source of supply. | Beef and Veal. | Mutton and Lamb. | Ratio of Beef, Veal, Mutton and Lamb to the total of these descriptions. | Pork and Bacon. | Poultry, Game and other Provisions. | Totals. | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | Tons. | ||||||||
1920 | 1921 | 1920 | 1921 | 1920 | 1921 | 1920 | 1921 | 1920 | 1921 | 1920 | 1921 | |
United Kingdom Australasian and South African | 51,465 | 33,203 | 16,728 | 20,356 | 21.0% | 14.7% | 5,531 | 9,908 | 15,110 | 16,684 | 88,834 | 80,151 |
15,860 | 24,810 | 103,320 | 101,359 | 36.6% | 34.6% | 76 | 106 | 5,499 | 4,312 | 124,755 | 130,587 | |
North American | 4,148 | 3,962 | 139 | 194 | 39.6% | 1.2% | 4,371 | 4,315 | 2,335 | 998 | 10,993 | 9,469 |
North American | - | 8,743 | - | 40 | - | 2.4% | - | - | - | - | - | 8,783 |
South American Continental | 118,059 | 143,798 | 10,610 | 18,177 | 1.3% | 44.4% | 3,048 | 2,912 | 66 | 326 | 131,783 | 165,213 |
1,794 | 6,252 | 3,295 | 3,718 | 1.5% | 2.7% | 2,210 | 14,727 | 2,257 | 3,533 | 9,556 | 28,230 | |
Totals | 191,326 | 220,768 | 134,092 | 143,844 | 1000% | 100 0% | 15,236 | 31,968 | 25,267 | 25,853 | 365,921 | 422,433 |