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64
tering. All the male inspectors continually observe butchers'
and other shops were food is sold.
There were no seizures, but 81 surrenders. There were no
prosecutions, all the owners having acted in good faith. Of the
surrenders, 12 were for tuberculosis, 36 unsound, and 30 with
livers or other organs affected with parasitic disease.
The meat affected with tuberculosis was pork in 11 cases, and
the liver of an ox in one case.
The food surrendered as being unsound consisted of meat,
fish and fruit, and tinned or preserved food. A full list is given
in Table XIX.
A special report on the existing provisions against the sale of
unsound and diseased meat was presented and printed in your
Council's minutes of 25th January, 1906.
In consequence of the revelations as to the preparation of
preserved meat in the United States, the shops selling this class
of goods were specially inspected. A few tins were seized as
showing signs of decomposition, and ten were bought and submitted
for bacteriological examination. No pathogenic (diseaseproducing)
organisms were found, and no bacilli indicating faecal
contamination; one tin showed faint signs of decomposition,
Very few tins, however, were found on sale which came from the
implicated firms.
Twelve samples of untinned preserved food, viz.—sausages,
brawn and pressed beef, were bacteriologically examined; nine
were found to contain preservatives, and ten, bacteria of various
kinds. The preservatives were not in sufficient amount to justify
proceedings being taken. The bacteria indicated want of cleanliness
in preparation. All the shops where sausages are made were
inspected; notices were served to remedy various defects, and
complied with. There are, however, no special legal provisions
requiring cleanliness in places where food is prepared; such
places can only be dealt with so far as a nuisance can be proved.
The London County Council General Powers Bill now before
Parliament, will, if passed, confer the powers required.