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In May the s.s. "Ice Flower" discharged a shipment of Bechuanaland boneless meat, and
routine sampling was carried out. Of ten samples taken five were reported as Salmonella contaminated,
in one of which heat-resistant CI. Welchii Type 10 was also found, and in four further
samples heat-resistant CI. Welchii Type not 1-11 was isolated.
There were no grounds at time of sampling to justify detention of the shipment, and by the
time the bacteriological reports were received it had been distributed.
Port Health Inspectors and the meat inspectors at Smithfield Market were instructed to
detain any meat of the same origin lying within their areas for bacteriological examination.
In July s.s. "Ice Flower" discharged a cargo of Bechuanaland meat at New Fresh Wharf in
the City of London. The shipment was placed under detention and removed to various Cold
Stores in the City and in Finsbury.
The report on 22 samples from this shipment showed no salmonella and the shipment was
released accordingly.
In September a shipment of 2,659 bone-in beef quarters ex s.s. "Ice Princess" was discharged
and distributed into Cold Stores in the City of London, Bermondsey and Finsbury. Ten
samples from the City Cold Stores were examined, no salmonella being found, but a report was
received from the Medical Officer of Health for Southwark that Salmonella Typhimurium had been
isolated from part of the shipment in his area.
A shipment of 3,526 bone-in quarters beef and 83 cartons boneless beef cuts ex s.s.
"Karamia" was discharged at Southampton for examination in London. No Salmonella was
isolated from samples taken from this shipment and it was accordingly released.
In October a shipment of 1,110 bone-in beef hindquarters and 5,481 cartons of boneless meat
lying in No. 7 Cold Store ex s.s. "Rowallan Castle" was detained. No positive reports were
received on the bone-in beef samples and this was accordingly released, but four of 17 samples
of boneless meat were reported as "salmonella found" three of which were SalmonellaTyphimurium.
The boneless meat consisted of specified cuts, strip loins, hindquarters, flanks, topsides,
rumps, silversides, crops, briskets, fore-quarter flanks, thick flanks, shins, hindquarters, fillets
and full crops and further sampling of each cut was carried out.
Salmonella organisms were isolated from samples of silversides, shins, topsides, and forequarter
flanks, and all but these cuts were released leaving 1,630 cartons under detention.
Further sampling of the detained cuts resulted in the isolation of salmonella organisms in
ten of sixty-six samples of silversides, eight of which were salmonella typhimurium, five of
fifty-seven samples of topsides of which one was typhimurium and heat-resistant CI. Welchii
type 5 from two samples, and two of 27 samples of forequarter flanks one of which was typhimurium
and heat-resistant CI. Welchii type 6 in one sample. No further salmonella positive
reports were received on 10 samples of shins.
It was decided that the particular cuts from which salmonella organisms or heat-resistant
CI. Welchii types 1-13 had been isolated would be released for manufacturing purposes only provided
the process involved heat treatment sufficient to destroy the organisms and on condition
that the Medical Officer of Health of the district in which the process would be carried out was
satisfied that the danger of cross contamination was negligible and that he was prepared to
undertake supervision of the handling and processing.
At a meeting of London Riparian Medical Officers of Health on 9th December, this modus
operandi was accepted in principle in connection with the disposal of contaminated shipments.
These incidents emphasize the necessity for close co-operation between inspecting authorities
in order that cold storage facilities are made available for cargoes under detention awaiting
the results of bacteriological examination which often involves storage for upwards of a week.
The Port of London, the City of London and the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury are well
served with such facilities and are thus enabled to accept the transfer of shipments into their
areas for storage or sampling in order to prevent accumulation in other districts.
The Ministries of Health, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Food were kept informed of the
position and Veterinary Officers of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food visited
Bechuanaland, where following inspection of the slaughtering and handling arrangements they
made certain recommendations which have been put into practice and which at the time of writing
are giving evidence of being effective.
The Head of the Meat Inspection Service in Bechuanaland has also visited your Medical
Officer in order to discuss with him local arrangements that have been made and will be made
in future, to reduce to a minimum the possibility of bacteriological contamination of meat.
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