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Propoganda
The normal forms of propoganda have been employed where necessary although in most
cases contact with firms has been made by personal contact or special letters.
Staff
During the year under review there has been several changes in the personnel on the Unit.
I would like to express my appreciation of the good work done by the staff throughout the year.
Conclusion
Throughout the year helpful relationships have existed between Dr. J. Greenwood Wilson,
Medical Officer of Health for the City of London, and with the Medical Officers of Health for the
Boroughs of Finsbury and Shoreditch as well as the Divisional Medical Officers in Health
Divisions 3, 4 and 5. Our appreciation of the services rendered by the Central Group Hospital
Management Committee and the Regional Hospital Board must also be recorded.
(Sgd.) W.D.R. THOMPSON,
Medical Director.
IMPORTED MEAT AND OFFAL NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
The desirability of requiring the sterilization and staining of meat and offal unfit for human
consumption has been apparent for some time.
The importation into this country of consignments of offals, especially livers, marked "Not
for human consumption" or "For animal food only", a high percentage of which have been found
to be affected with hydatid cyst has accentuated the need for control.
The Public Health (Imported Food) Regulations, 1937 and 1948, give powers for inspection
and movement control if necessary of meat or meat products intended for human consumption, but
meat and offal if marked "Not for human consumption" are outside the scope of the Regulations
and local authorities have no powers of control.
The trade in this class of meat has grown from imports from New Zealand to an animal food
processing plant — in respect of which no complaint is made as delivery of consignments is
effected under proper control — to the importation on a growing scale for chance sale. It is this
kind of importation to which there is objection, and evidence suggests that the uncontrolled
entry and sale of this type of meat is leading to its appearance as meat for human consumption.
The importation of pharmaceutical livers is free from criticism because these are usually
dyed and no difficulties are experienced in exercising proper control.
Control difficulties arise in the first instance from the fact that on the ships' manifest meat
not for human consumption is not usually shown separately from meat for human consumption,
and thus the Port Health Inspector is not warned of its entry. Agreement has been reached
between Riparian Medical Officers of Health that movement from the area of one authority to
another be notified but this is of course only possible upon knowledge of entry in the first
instance.
Apart from the matter of imported meat and offals, it is, I consider, a necessary precaution
on public health grounds that all meat, offals, etc. condemned as unfit for human consumption
as a result of slaughter or inspection should be sterilized and stained. It has always been the
practice at Smithfield Marked and Islington Cattle Market that condemned meat and offals are
stained before removal by the Corporation's contractors for processing.
Bearing in mind the possibility of communication of disease from animal to man it would
appear that sterilization and staining is preferable to sterilization or staining as an alternative.
During the year importations of unstained livers marked "not for human consumption" or
"for animal feeding only" reached alarming proportions, and to give some idea of the scale on
which these livers were arriving into this country, 3,000 bags were imported in one week, all
of which were handled by a small number of meat and offal distributors.
Enquiries elicited the fact that large quantities were being disposed of to retail butchers
throughout London without disclosing their diseased condition. On removal from the bags such
livers are distinguishable from those fit for human consumption only by an expert and the inherent
dangers of such a position are obvious. In order to ensure that the public are protected
from the danger of any of this diseased meat finding its way into channels whence it may be
used for human consumption, quite apart from the desirability or otherwise of its use as pet
food, the seizure of all such meat found within the City of London was authorised in order that
it may be dealt with by a Justice.
On the 2nd July all such meat was accordingly seized by the City's Chief Meat Inspector
under Sections 9 and 111 of the Food & Drugs Act, 1955 and was taken before the Guildhall
Justice on Friday, the 4th July, for his decision as to disposal. The Alderman after inspecting
the meat condemned the same as unfit for human consumption and ordered it to be so disposed
of as to prevent it from being used for human consumption.
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