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62
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON SUBJECTS RELATING TO MEAT INSPECTION.
The above report of Mr. Young calls for certain observations. It will be seen that this
year all condemned meat has been sorted and classified under cause for condemnations and
country of origin. In course of time this classification will prove of very considerable
value. On the present occasion a reference to the following three points will be
sufficient.
Caseous Lymphadenitis.—In the classification of condemnations of meat received from
different countries, it will be noted that Caseous Lymphadenitis was the cause in respect of
263 carcases received from Argentina, 62 from Uruguay, 10 from Chili, 9 from Holland,
9 from Australia, and 7 from New Zealand. I am not aware of the relative incidence of the
disease on sheep in these different countries, but it does appear to me that the totals are far
too high, notwithstanding that relatively to the total bulk they are comparatively insignificant.
From Australia and New Zealand arrives more than 53 per cent, of the imported
mutton and lamb and from these countries combined, only 16 cases of this disease were observed.
Stricter supervision would probably reduce the number from other countries.
Tuberculosis.—In connection with Argentine cattle it is interesting to note that this
disease was the cause of condemnation of 132 hind quarters and only 23 fore quarters. It is
true that more hindquarters are cut up at Smithfield Market than are fore quarters, but that fact
would not appear to be sufficient to account for the difference between the totals. In this
country more fore quarters are condemned for this disease than are hind quarters. It is
impossible in imported meat to associate hinds and fores of the same animal. If that had
been practicable possibly the solution of the problem might have been made clear. The
affection is usually observed in one of the deep-seated glands in the hind quarters and is
often of an advanced character. The matter calls for further investigation.
Boned Meat.—240 parcels of boned mutton from Argentina were condemned on account
of emaciation. Imported meat should be of good quality and emaciated carcases should not
be boned, boning renders inspection exceedingly difficult, and increased vigilance appears
to be necessary on this score.
The above three items are introduced mainly with the intention of supporting the suggestion
which has been previously made, that in view of the enormous amount of imported
meat arriving in this country and the difficulties associated with the inspection of carcase
meat, it seems desirable that an official inspector of this country should pay repeated visits
to the meat-importing centres to be assured that the principles of inspection are observed and
that the conditions of inspection are such as to render supervision satisfactory.
Lectures on Meat Inspection.—The Report of Sir Horace Monro's Meat Inspection Committee
suggested that in centres where facilities were available local authorities might assist
in the spread of knowledge by arranging for educational courses of lectures to be delivered
to those engaged in the work, to whom opportunities for learning the refinements of meat
inspection were less readily accessible. Suitable courses were arranged at Smithfield Market
for Medical Officers of Health and Sanitary Inspectors, and others. The lectures were delivered
by your Medical Officer of Health, the Veterinary Surgeon, and the Senior Meat
Inspector; the more junior members of the staff were also given an opportunity of demonstrating
and assisting. Such subjects were dealt with as the differences between home-killed
and imported meat, diseases peculiar to imported meat, parasitic diseases of animals, butchers'
joints, and how they can be recognised, the location of lymphatic glands, the inspection
of tinned foods, etc. These lectures were well attended, chiefly by executive officers of
local authorities in the Home Counties, and in many instances appreciation of the work was
communicated to the Sanitary Committee.
Your Medical Officer of Health also delivered two lectures for the Chadwick Trust on
"The Control of the Food Supply," and the Richardson Memorial Lecture on "The Slaughtering
of Animals for Human Consumption." Mr. Young also addressed other meetings of
Sanitary Inspectors, and at Cambridge, of Veterinary Surgeons.
This work cannot be accepted as a routine duty and can only be undertaken on occasions.
There seems to be a general desire that the courses should be continued and that, if possible,
arrangements should be made for occasional demonstrations of meat condemned at Smithfield.
It is hoped that during the new year it will be possible to give effect to this latter request.
In addition, a series of lantern slides have been made from negatives of various interesting
matters which have been in course of collection for many years past, these will be available
for future demonstrations.
Sheep and Pig Carcases from Poland.—In the early part of the year, a number of chilled
pig carcases, and a number of lamb carcases were delivered at Smithfield Market. These