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The 2,406 chilled hind quarters of beef to be reconditioned at the Cold Stores in the
Docks.
1,478 chilled fore quarters to be disposed of for animal feeding purposes under guarantee
and supervision and released as required, the local Medical Officer of Health being informed
of releases.
In November a request was received from the Salvage Association that, as the reconditioning
of the chilled/frozen hind quarters of beef on the Dock would take a very long time, they be
allowed to arrange for quantities to be taken to a specified Cold Store for reconditioning under
the supervision of the local Medical Officer of Health. As the Cold Store specified was already
reconditioning lambs from the vessel this was agreed after the consent of the local Medical
Officer of Health had been obtained and this relieved your Inspectors on the Royal Docks of
part of a considerable amount of extra work.
As a result of reconditioning on the dock 28 tons of meat from some 1,017 quarters of beef
were sent to your contractors, Messrs. Henson and Burbidge, Ltd.
From the foregoing it will be seen that a very high standard of co-operation and mutual goodwill
is required from all concerned, i.e., P.L.A., Importers, Shipping Companies, Insurance
Assessors and Surveyors and the Port Health Authority staff, and it is gratifying to report that
this co-operation was given to the fullest extent by all concerned, enabling the arrangements to
work smoothly throughout the discharge of the cargoes and the disposal of two large consignments
of damaged meat, both presenting very different problems.
BANANAS CONTAMINATED BY HUMAN EXCRETA
The s.s. "Jamaica Producer" arrived from Kingston in the Royal Albert Dock on the 29th July
1957.
On arrival in dock the vessel was visited in the course of normal routine inspection by your
Health Inspector, Mr. T.G. Edwards, who was informed that a "stowaway" had been found in
No. 1 Hold, "C" Deck, Starboard Side "bin".
The stowaway was discovered in the above position, seven days after leaving Jamaica. It
would appear that he moved sufficient bananas stowed in the bin to make a "nest" to lie in. He
had obviously little room to move and his weight had caused a considerable amount of damage to
the bananas in the bin beneath him and there was evidence of a soiling of the bananas by urination,
but no human excreta was seen.
Mr. Edwards reports that bearing in mind a previous similar occurrence some twelve months
ago, he instructed the Importers and the Shipping Company that all the bananas in this particular
bin were not to be discharged unless he was present.
In the meantime the remaining bananas from this hold were discharged. On completion he then
made a further inspection of the bananas that were suspected to be contaminated, and these were
taken out by men provided with gloves and disinfectant and placed on the orlop deck in the hold,
the sound bananas from the bin being discharged in the usual manner.
The contaminated portion amounted to 106 stems and these were discharged overside into a
refuse lighter, the discharge being carried out by the ship's gear and winches in order that none
of the elevators and conveyors normally used in the discharge of bananas were subjected to any
risk of contamination.
The suspected area of contamination, viz., the decks and bulkhead were treated with a strong
solution of carbolic acid as a disinfectant.
Mr. Edwards concludes his report with an appreciation of the co-operation he received from the
Importers, the Jamaica Producers Marketing Co. Ltd., and the Port of London Authority, in dealing
with this incident.
AMENDMENTS TO MEMO. 3/MEAT
On 17th May, 1957, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food issued a Circular FSH 3/57
directing that, in the light of experience gained in the detection of cysticercus bovis, it had
been decided to amend the recommendations set out in Memo. 3/MEAT which was issued by the
Ministry of Food in 1952.
The amendments were as follows:—
PART III - POST MORTEM INSPECTION
SECTION B
1. (1) (d) Delete and substitute:
"The external and internal masseter muscles should be examined by making several
incisions parallel to the lower jaw."
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