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Slaughtering is carried out at the one licensed and privately owned slaughterhouse in the
Borough. Details of the animals slaughtered and inspected together with the quantities of meat
condemned and the reasons for condemnation are set out in the preceding tables. Slaughtering
is regularly carried out on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Some attendance at the slaughterhouse
is necessary during one evening each week, this work being carried out by the Duty
Inspector. Slaughterhouse inspections are carried out by the four public health inspectors whose
districts are nearest to the slaughterhouse. Two diseases of animals which are of particular interest
in post mortem meat inspection are Tuberculosis and Cysticercus bovis the cystic stage of the
beef tape worm (Taenia saginata) and these are included in the preceding tables which give
details of the various classes of animals slaughtered and inspected together with the condemnations
classified under disease or condition. Eradication of Tuberculosis from cattle in this country has
resulted in the virtual disappearance of this disease from the slaughterhouse.
Taenia saginata is a tape worm which lives exclusively in the small intestine of man. Cysticercus
bovis, the larva stage develops in the intermuscular connective tissue of cattle and results when
cattle graze on pastures contaminated with faeces. Consumption of the cysts with undercooked
meat can complete the cycle and the tape worm then develops in the small intestine of man.
Where any part of a carcass or offal is affected with a localised infestation of C. bovis the
part of the carcass so infested is condemned but the remainder of the carcass and offal is released
for human consumption after refrigeration at a temperature not exceeding 20°F ( —7°C) for a period
of not less than three weeks or at a temperature not exceeding 14°F (-10°C) for a period of not
less than 2 weeks.
Information relating to the presence of Cysticerci is passed to the Chief Public Health
Inspector for the area from which the animal originated for any necessary follow-up action in
connection with the infestation of pastures, etc.
Meat inspection does not solely involve the rejection of meat with visible abnormalities.
Salmonellosis, Shigellosis, and Staphylococcal gastro-enteritis may result from the ingestion of
inadequately cooked infected meat which can appear quite normal to the eye and a very careful
assessment of the carcass has to be made whenever abscesses, inflammatory conditions, etc.,
are found.
There are two aspects of meat inspection—examination of the live animals on entry to the
slaughterhouse (ante-mortem inspection) and examination of the carcass (post-mortem inspection).
Ante-mortem inspection is particularly important as it indicates those animals requiring
more careful examination after slaughter together with the possible need for laboratory examination
of specimens.
Inspectors occasionally encounter circumstances when laboratory assistance is required
for firm diagnosis and the assistance given by Dr. Picton of the Pathology Department of Hillingdon
Hospital in this respect is gratefully acknowledged.
In addition, specimens and swabs are submitted to the food hygiene section of the Central
Public Health Laboratory, Colindale, for bacteriological control of hygiene in the slaughter and
dressing of carcasses.
The specimens submitted during the year and the results obtained were
as follows: