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for sale for human consumption they shall either (a) be slaughtered instantaneously by decapitation
or dislocation of the neck or (b) by stunned by means of approved instrument so as to
render them instantaneously insensible until death supervenes. Provision is made for other methods
of slaughter to be approved. An approved instrument is one which passes an electric current
through the brain and is sufficient to render it instantaneously insensible to pain. Slaughter of a
bird in contravention of these requirements is an offence and stunning may only be carried out at
premises registered with a Local Authority.
Poultry slaughter is known to be carried out at 12 premises mainly on an occasional basis.
A survey of the premises revealed that slaughter by the first method was used in all cases and
registration was therefore not necessary.
DISEASES OF ANIMALS ACT, 1950
All public health inspectors are appointed as inspectors under this Act and they are assisted
by the part-time veterinary officer appointed for this and certain other duties. Of the 100 orders
the ones of concern in the Borough are:
The Diseases of Animals (Waste Foods) Order, 1957, which requires that all waste food
comprising meat, bones, offal, etc., brought from other premises for the purpose of feeding cattle,
sheep, pigs and goats, be boiled for at least one hour. Compliance with the Order is important as
waste food is suspected of carrying the viruses of foot and mouth disease, swine fever and fowl
pest. There are 33 licensed swill boiling plants in the Borough.
The Regulations of Movement of Swine Order, 1959 prohibits movement of pigs from a sale
at a market except under licence. Licenses are issued by the Local Authority Inspector of the area
in which the sale takes place and a copy of the licence is forwarded to the Local Authority of the
area in which the pigs are moved. The pigs must be kept in the premises to which they are moved
for 28 days and while so detained must be kept separate from all other pigs. The pigs may be
moved to a slaughterhouse for slaughter within this period.
Surveillance of pigs moved under the Licence during the 28 days detention is, in the main
carried out by the Council's Veterinary Officer. During 1970, 241 movement licenses were received.
The Movement of Animals (Records) Orders, 1960 and 1961, require stock holders to keep
records giving details of all stock brought into or removed from the premises. The form of record
is prescribed and provisions are very important as they enable proper investigations to be carried
out in the event of any outbreak of notifiable disease. When visiting premises inspectors check
that the records are being properly maintained.
Transit Orders lay down conditions for vehicles conveying animals and require that all
vehicles used for such conveyance be cleansed and disinfected after the animals have been
unloaded. These provisions are enforceable by the Local Authority.
FOWL PEST
During the year 4 outbreaks of foul pest occurred within the Borough. The outbreaks were
confined to the premises of small poultry keepers and the various control measures were taken
by the Ministry's Inspectors.
HOUSING
The conditions under which people live have been the concern of public health inspectors
for more than a hundred years. Action to deal with unsatisfactory dwellings is a traditional part
of their duties. Today, in a period of change there has been conjured up in some minds the dream
of an all embracing housing department. This was considered to be impracticable by the Committee
of Management of Local Government as recently as 1967, when they said: "It is difficult to envisage
a single officer exercising responsibility for Housing Management, for Slum Clearance, Housing
Design and House Building".
The idea of one comprehensive housing department connected with all aspects of housing
both public and private stems largely from the increasing emphasis now being placed on the
improvement of houses and also from the concept of one officer to whom people may apply for
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