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23
The Medical Officer of Health took specimens of the fluid
from several vesicles which were bacteriologically examined and
proved to be innocent, proving that they could not have had any
connection with the epidemic of scarlet fever due to infected railway
borne milk which was at this period prevalent in the district.
Signed,
J. Lloyd Still, M.R.C.V.S. London.
MEAT AND FOOD INSPECTION.
Pursuant to the Orders of the Local Government Board, I have
this year to report on the number of slaughter houses in the
district ; if they are visited at the time of slaughtering by an
Inspector with a special certificate in meat inspection : how many
carcases or parts of carcases were found to be tuberculous, and
what action was taken in each case. There are thirteen butchers'
shops in the district and two slaughter houses, one licensed, the
other registered. The inspection of food and meat is performed
by the Sanitary Inspector, in addition to the duties undertaken as
Sanitary Officer when appointed in 1908. He visits and inspects
frequently all the shops in the district where food is exposed for
sale:—butchers, milk shops, dairies, greengrocers, bakers, etc., or
any premises where food is prepared for sale. The slaughterhouses
have been in use for many years ; they are placed too near
the existing dwelling houses, and have not the facilities of the
modern abbatoirs for slaughtering. Now that the district has
reached a population of 12,000, the question of a public abbatoir
is being taken into consideration ; no doubt the larger quantity of
meat is obtained from the Central Meat Markets in Smithfield, and
is of high quality, but the killing that does take place should be
performed in a slaughter house further removed from dwelling
houses, and under more modern improvements.
All meat exposed for sale, including that brought into the
district, is examined by the Inspector. Regarding the condemnation
of any meat affected with tuberculosis the practise followed
in this district is : to carry out the principals as laid down by the
Royal Commission on Tuberculosis, to be observed regarding the
inspection of tuberculous carcases:—
In the case of the pig, in view of the greater tendency to
generalisation of tuberculosis, the presence of tubercular deposit