The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-27 00:00:00

REPORT ON UNWHOLESOME MEAT.

The Metropolitan Association of Medical Officers
of Health, at their monthly meeting in June, con-
sidering the above a subject of great public import-
ance, appointed a committee, consisting of Dr.
Letheby, Dr. R. D. Thompson, Dr. Barnes, Mr.
Liddle, Dr. Gibbon, and Dr. Druitt—with Dr.
Chalice as chairman, to inquire into the facts re-
lating to the alleged sale of diseased and unwhole-
some meat in the metropolis, as well as the ill
effects arising therefrom, and the best mode of pre-
vention. The following report was read at the
general meeting of the association held at the
Board of Health, on August 6, and ordered to be
printed for the use of the members of the associa-
tion, and for the guidance of the inspectors of nui-
sances, in carrying out that section of the Nui-
sances Removal Act which relates to diseased or
unwholesome food :

The committee appointed by the Metropolitan Associ-
tion of Medical Officers of Health, to inquire into the
subject of unwholesome meat, report that they have
taken every opportunity of making themselves ac-
quainted with the facts of the case, both by personal ob-
servation and by conferences with Mr. Fisher, inspector
of meat and slaughter-houses in the City of London, and
with Mr. Pocklington, inspector of markets, to whom
they express their thanks for much valuable information.
In the first place, your committee consider the fact to
be fully proved that large quantities of unwholesome
meat are constantly on sale to the lower orders in Lon-
don. At their first meeting, on June 21, Dr. Challice
produced several specimens which bad been exposed for
sale at butchers' shops in Southwark, and which had
been either purchased by him or seized under his direc-
tions on the same day. For expample : there was a
sheep's liver which had been seized. It was dark,
soft,-and ill smelling, and the veins contained fibrin-
ous coagula. There was a shoulder of mutton pur-
chased at 7d. per pound ; the fat of a dirty yellow,
the muscles emaciated, and of a peculiar light colour
and sour smell. There was part of a sirloin pur-
chased at 61. in Bermondsey, not ill-looking, but wonder-
fully thin, and quite destitute of fat. There were also
specimens of veal and beef, of nauseous appearance ; and
side by side with these, Dr. Challice exhibited a piece of
the boiled flesh of a healthy horse, accidentally killed,
which looked and smelled quite wholesome, and a leg of
mutton, plump, firm, and of pure white fat, which was
destined for the paupers' dinner in Bermondsey work-
house on the next day. The contrast between the mut-
ton provided by the board of guardians for the paupers,
and that which was offered for sale to the industrious
classes, was palpable enough.
At a subsequent meeting, Mr. Fisher and Mr. Pock.
lington were good enough to bring and exhibit portions
of beef and lamb which had been seized on that day in
Newgate-market. The beef was thoroughly wet and
soft; the lamb wet, soft, utterly devoid of fat in the
areolar tissue and within and around the kidney ; pus
was found in the areolar tissue of the pelvis by Dr. Gib-
bon, and the smell of both specimens was incredibly
nauseous.

Your committ:e have also the evidence of Mr. Fisher
that he often sees meat exposed for sale in the suburbs
which he should seize if within his own jurisdiction in
the city ; and of Dr. Gibbon, who has caused unwhole.
some meat to be seized in the Holborn district.

The fact, then, that such meat is habitually offered for
sale is indisputable. As to the quantity of it, your
committee can only refer to a return with which they
have been favoured by Mr. Daw, of the City Sewers'
Office, showing the quantity seized in the city of Lon-
don during the year 1855. By this it appears that 28
live animals, 612 entire carcases, 696 quarters, 8 sides,
and 227 joints of beef, mutton, veal, and lamb were
seized in that year, besides an immense quantity of
poultry, game, and fish, which probably was condemned
because putrid. But it must be borne in micd that the
City of London is a privileged place ; that the inspection
of meat and slaughter•hou es is there carried on systema-
tically ; and that, as Mr. Fisher declares, much meat
which could not be exposed in the City is openly sold in
the suburbs.

In order to give a useful and practical turn to their la
bourn, your committee, on one occasion, invited the in-
spectors of nuisances out of their several districts to
meet Mr. Fisher and Mr. Pocklington at Dr. Dundas
Thompson's Rooms, in St. Thomas's Hospital, in order
that the appearances and characters of diseased meat
might be explained to them from actual specimens, and
that tints they might be prepared for the more efficient
discharge of their duties.

Your committee then endeavoured to draw up a short
summary of the marks by which unwholesome meat may
be known in plain, unprofessional language, for the use
of inspectors of nuisances, as follows :
The chief marks which show that meat is unwhole•
some are, in the first place, its colour, which is generally
either dingy or too bright.

Secondly, there is the smell, wbieh is peculiarly sour
and sickening, even when such meat is fresh ; and very
different from the smell of good meat when tainted
tbraugh overkeeping.
In the next place, there is a sign which is considered
if more value than any other. It is a peculiar and de-
cided wetness of the meat, which is also soft, flabby, and
not set.

Moreover, it should be noticed that there is often a
large quantity of blood in the veins, which has curdled
there, and not run out as it does when sound beasts are
killed. Or, if there are no clots of blood, there will be
very likely shreds and flakes of white matter in the larger
Tehts, particularly in the liver.

Then, there is a whole set of signs which show that
an animal, before being killed, was greatly out of con-
dition ; such as a pale bloodless eye, a paleness of the
bark of sheep, and unnatural whiteness of the flesb,
which are often seen in sheep which have the rot. Want
of fat, and especially of the suet about the kidneys, in
place of which a watery flabby stuff is sometimes found ;
wasting of the fleshy part of the meat ; and a watery
jelly-like state of the tissue which lies between the mus-
cles, insomuch that drops of water may run out when it
is cut across, are other decided signs. It is to be re-
marked that drovers are said sometimes to strike sheep
heavy blows on the eye to hide the pale look which
arises from wasting disease.
Again there are some signs of special disease. Thus
when cattle have died of pleuropneumona, or lung disease,
the insides of the ribs will usually be found to be furred
up with a quantity of white curdy matter (pleuritic ad-
hesions), and the same is found inside the flanks when
bea4s have died of inflammation of the bowels. In theFe
cases the natural smooth glistening surface of the mem-
bra' e which li! es the ribs and flanks is loet.
One thing to be especially looked for is the little bind.
dere amongst the flesh of pigs, which constitute the dir.
ease known as measles ; and similar things in the liver of
sheep which have the ro'.

Experienced butchers are said to know by the smell
of meat whether the beast had certain medicines given
to it before being killed.

The above are the chief signs of unwholesome meat ;
of course they will vary with circumstances—for one ani.
mal may be killed at the very beginning of an acute
disease, another after it has undergone considerable
wasting, and a third may have been merely killed for
appearance's sake, just before it would have died of
its elf.

Your committee must observe that in speaking of un-
wholesome meat they refer to the flesh of animals in a
state of disease, and not to meat that has become putrid
from having been over-kept, nor yet to meat of a second
rate quality. The flesh of old bulls, cows, ewes, and
rams, for example, is not first-rate, but has nothing un-
wholesome in it. Moreover, all traces of previously
existing but now extinct disease, such as old pleuritic
adhesions, need not be regarded : for, as Mr. Fisher
observes, if all marks of former disease were considered
cause of seizure, the market would sometimes be entirely
cleared. The presence of animalcules in the liver, if the
sheep is not yet out of condition, is not considered
sufficient cause of seizure by the inspectors, but your
committee are not prepared to sanction the exemption.
There are several other cases in which, according to
the inspectors, doubt may exist whether meat ought to
be seized or not ; as in the case of a healthy animal dy-
ing by accident ; and of cows which arejust beginning to
suffer from confinement in cow-sheds ; and of cows which
die in calving, the fore-quarters of which exhibit no traces
of mischief. Rut your committee think it is better to err
on the safe side. Slipped calves are always seized ; but
the market is full of calves very little different, which
are killed when very few days old, and sent up in abun-
dance from the dairy districts of Somerset and Wilts.
It is quite certain that very much of this doubtful meat
together with large quantities of that which is certainly
unwholesome, and especially slipped calves and !timely
ork, is made into sausages, and daily consumed by the
public. Your committee have reason to believe that the
flesh of horses (except the tongue) is not used, certainly
not extensively used, for human food, simply because it
fetches such a good price as cats' andidoge meat.
Your committee have learned that most of the diseased
meat supplied to the metropolis is brought from the
country ; that is to say, that very few diseased animals
are brought into or slaughtered in London, but that they
are killed in the country by persons who make this a re-
guiar business,.• More unsound meat, according to the

inspectors, is found in Newgate than in any other mar-
ket, solely because more country meat is sent there.
But there are persons, well known in the London trade,
who make it their business to dispose privately of meat
which could not be exposed openly in any market.
As for the flistribution of this meat, there is no doubt
that it is purchased, after revilar market hours, by
tradesmen who retail it to the labouring classes late
in the evening, in the suburbs and what are caged low
neighbourhoods. Much meat is sold by gaslight which
could scarcely be exposed in broad daylight.
We must now touch upon the important subject of the
ill effects of unsound meat. These are twofold. In
the first place, the consumer is robbed of his fair share
of nourishment ; for it is notorious that second-rate and
unsound meat cannot stand the fire, and wastes in cook-
ing to an extraordinary degree. Thus it is the most ex-
travagant kind of food, and furnishes one example
amongst many, that the poorest people always pay most
dearly for everything.

In the next place there can be no doubt but that the
use of diseased meat may be a specific cause of illness.
We need scarcely remind you that the eating of measly
pork, and of ill-cooked animal food in general, is noto-
riously a cause of tape-worm, and of various forms of
hydatid that infest the human subject. Instances have
come under the notice of Dr. Gibbon, Dr. Challice, and
other members of the committee, of symptoms of poison-
ing arising from the use of unsound meat partially
cooked. It appears to be almost established, that in
most cases prolonged boiling deprives it of any active
poisonous properties ; and it is said that the flesh of
glandered horses, after being boiled, can be handled and
eaten with impunity. But roasting and frying are far
less efficient means of subjecting flesh thoroughly to the
purifying influence of heat.
We may allude in passing to the over-fed condition in
which cattle are commonly killed at Christmas. Dr.
Druitt has seen several instances of illness from eating
that kind of meat ; but it is matter of gratification, that
excessive and unnatural fatness seems now to be less
cultivated by breeders of animals.

Your committee may observe that, although it may
be difficult to prove it by actual cases, they have no
doubt that unwholesome meat is one cause amongst
many of the debility and cachexies, the poverty of blood,
and intractable maladies of the poor who Kock to the
dispensaries and parochial medical officers, and espe•
cially of diarrhoea during hot weather.

Put your committee feel that this is a question which
must be argued on far higher ground than that of spe-
cial ill consequences. They believe that public decency
demands that a stop be put, so far as possible, to the
sale of the flesh of diseased animals, and of those which
have died a natural death. They appeal to that highest
and best sanitary code contained in the law of Moses
(Leviticus xi. 39, and xviii. 15), which they would will-
ingly see observed at the present day.
Nov;, to treat of preventive measures. Your commit-
tee, speaking with due caution on a legal question, be-
lieve that the sale of unwholesome meat is indictable as
an offence at common law, and is also guarded against
by several special enactments, which it may be useful to
make known.

There is the act " to prevent the spreading of con-
tagious or infectious disorders among sheep, cattle, and
other animals," which was passed in 1848 (11 and 12
Vic., c. 107), which was extended and continued in 1853
(16 and 17 Vic., c. 62), and amplified with penalties
against the sale and keeping of glandered horses ; and
which was continued in the present year by the act 19
and 20 Vic., c. 101. By this act it is lawful for any
clerk or inspector, or other officer of any fair or market,
or for any constable or policeman, or for any other per-
son, authorised by the mayor, or by any justices of the
peace having jurisdiction in the place ; or for any person
authorised by her Majesty in Council, to seize all sheep
affected with small pox." And "if any meat unit for
human food be exposed or offered for sale in any market,
fair, or other open, or public place, it shall be lawful for
such clerks, inspectors, constables, policemen, or other
persons authorised as aforesaid, to seize the same ; and
to report such seizure to the mayor or justice." The
mayor or justice may order the thing seized to be re-
stored ; and in this case, if there were probable cause of
seizure, the officer seizing cannot be made to pay more
than 2d. damages, or be fined more than is.: on the
other hand, should the justice condemn the meat, it is
to be destroyed, and the person offering it to be fined
201.

The City of London Sewers' Act, 1851, provides for
the appointment of inspectors of slaughter-houses and
meat, with most summary powers of entering and in-
specting every place where cattle may be kept, alive or
dead, and of seizing and destroying any meat whatever
which may appear unfit for the food of man. From this
act and the foregoing, Mr. Fisher, the very able City
inspector, derives his powers, and affords, as we have
said befure, eonsiderable protection to the City, at the
expense of the suburbs.

The Metropolitan Market Act, 1851, gives full powers
over unsound meat to all clerks and inspectors appointed
by virtue thereof.

The Nuisances Removal Act for England, 1855, gives
local auth, rity, or their officer, or sanitary inspector,
power of entering int) all premises, at reasonable hours,
to examine and inspect any carcass, meat, poultry,
game, flesh, fish, vegetables, corn, bread, or lour ; and
if such things appear to the sanitary inspector unfit for
food, the same may be seized ; and if it appear to a jus-
tice that such carcass, &c., is unfit for food, he shall order
it to be destroyed, and the person to whom it belongs,
or in whose custody it shall be found, shall be liable to
a penalty not exceeding 101. for every carcass, fish, or
piece of meat, &c., and for every parcel of fruit, &c.
It ha 3 been represented to your committee that the
most efficient person to be employed as inspector of meat
and slaughter-houses would be a man who is a butcher
by trade. And this may be true, but your committee do
not believe that such appointments are necessary or
practicable at present.

They content themselves with recommending that the
several inspectors of nuisances, appointed under the Me-
tropolis Local Management Act, be empowered to act as
sanitary inspectors under the Nuisances Removal Act
for England, 1855, and if necessary that they also re-
ceive authority from two justices, under the Act 19 and
20 Vic., c. 131, before referred to. They further re-
commend that the inspectors be furnished with a state-
ment of the appearances of unsound meat, such as your
committee have drawn up for the purposs, and that they
be instructed to visit the shops and markets frequented
by the poor, especially on Saturday evenings. That
they should proceed cautiously and take the opinion of
the medical ofEcer of health in case of doubt ; but yet
that they should peremptorily seize any meat which
shall answer to the before-described signs of unwhole-
someness.

So soon as the fact is made public that the inspectors
are on the alert much of the evil will be abated.

The committee cannot conclude without acknowledg-
ing that they are much indebted to Dr. Druitt for his
valuable services as secretary at such of their meetings ;
and they tender him their thanks for the communication
of many important facts, and for the drawing up of this
report.

JOHN CHALLICA M.D., Chairman.

Naval and Military Intel

The following general order has been issued :
" Horse Guards, Aug. 22.
"Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to direct
that Lieutenant-General Sir Colin Campbell, G.C.8.,
shall be placed as a Lieutenant-General upon the Staff of
the army in the United Kingdom, with the view to his
appointment as Inspector-General of Infantry.
" By order of his Royal Highness
the General Commanding-in-Chief.
" W. F. FORSTER, Deputy-Adjutant-General."
The following is from a correspondent at Malta:—
"The City of London steam-transport arrived from
Genoa on the 13th with Paymaster Benson, of the An-
glo-Italian Legion, and left on her return voyage on the
15th, conveying Major de Morrell, of the Staff, Sir John
Pennefather, 12 officers, 388 non-commissioned officers
and privates of the Anglo-Italian Legion, and Mrs.
Telfer and child.

"The Tudor, sailing transport, which arrived on the
15th from the Dardanelles in ballast, left on the 20th
for Liverpool with 750 officers, non-commissioned offi-
cers, and privates of the Italian Legion, two officers'
wives, and six children.

"The Austrian Consul, on hearing that orders had
arrived for conveying the brigade to England, caused it
to be made known in the camp that such Austrian sub-
jects as were of good character would be allowed to re-
turn to their country ; that their father,' deeply grieved
at the unworthy treatment they had received during
their residence in Malta, was ready not only to pardon
their having engaged in foreign service without his con-
sent, but to admit them to the honour of serving under
his standard. About 400 availed themselves of the Em-
peror's offer, and have received, or will receive, pass-
ports to Venice. The remainder of the Legion will be
despatched to England as soon as an opportunity offers.
"The Prince Arthur steam-transport arrived from
Queenstown on the 18th, and left for Corfu on the fol-
lowing day.
" The Empire steam-transport left for Portsmouth on
the 12th with the passengers already reported as brought
by her from the Levant.
"The Norwegian bark Preciosa, with British Govern-
ment stores, arrived from Constantinople on the 17th.
"The Echunga auxiliary screw steam-transport (No.
44) arrived from Constantinople on the 111th with Go-
vernment stores, bringing Commander G. Johnston,
R.N., Surgeon Hyde, Assistant-Surgeon Barnet, Per-
veyor Hagar, and Messrs. Inglebright and family and

"The French steam-corvette Berthollet, bringing 60
officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, arrived
from Constantinople on the 17th, having in tow the Pan-
dora frigate, conveying 112 others, and bearing the flag
of Rear-Admiral Pellion.

"The City of Washington, English steam-transport,
having on board 349 officers, non-commissioned officers,
and privates of the French army, 12 women, and 28
civil employes, arrived from Constantinople on the 18th,
having in tow the Titan American ship, in the same ser-
vice, bringing 660 officers, non-commissioned officers,
and privates, and 30 women. Both vessels left for Mar-
seilles on the 18th.

"The Lady Flora Hastings, with oats ; the Corfu,
with salt provisions ; and the Giuseppe Marinelli, Ro-
man bark, with barley (all on account of the French Go-
vernment), arrived from Constantinople on the 18. h.
Several other vessels have arrived on a similar mission.
" The Nereid steam-yacht arrived on the 13th from
Plymouth, Gibraltar, and Algiers.
" The French postal steamer Clyde arrived from Con-
stantinople, Smyrna, and Syra on the 130, bringing,
among ether passengers for Marseilles, Drs. Ivan, Ro-
binson, Surinon, and 45 officers, rank and file, of the
French army, and proceeded onwards to her destination
•on the same day.

" Her Majesty's steam packet Oberon left with the
mails for Corfu on the 16th, conveying Capt. Hail, R.A.,
and family, and Mr. Mackay and family.
"The Scamander, English screw-steamer, which left for
Liverpool on the 11th, put back, owing to damage to
machinery on the 14th.

" The disabled French screw steamer Prophete, in
ballast, in tow of the French despatch steamer Passe-
partout, arrived from Tripoli on the 19th."
Her Majesty's store•ship Tyne embarked her ammu-
nition, rockets, &c., from Woolwich Arsenal yesterday,
preparatory to her departure for Rio de Janeiro.
The transport Gertrude was towed up to Woolwich
from Greenhithe, having a cargo of live shell and am-
munition from the East.

The steam-transport William Hutt arrived at Wool-
wich yesterday, last from Devonport, with 15 Russian
guns from the East.

The steam-transport Rhadamanthus, Master-Com-
mander Brown, left Woolwich yesterday with the boilers,
machinery, and gear intended for the screw steam-ship
Renown, 90, building at Chatham.
The Lords of the Admiralty are pursuing their tour
of inspection, and have arrived at Devonport.
Toe Triumph, sailing-transport, arrived at Portsmouth
on Monday from the Crimea with stores.
Her Majesty's steam-sloop Hecate, Commander Gor-
don, was taken out of the steam basin at Portsmouth
after repairs on Monday evening.
The Comet, steam-vessel, and the Echo, tug, conveyed
from the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth yesterday draughts
of the 43th and 95th Regiments for embarkation on
other service.

The steam-transport Cormorant, No. 103, from Cm-
stantil eple and Mal.a, arrived at Portsmouth on Mon-
day night.

The—new steam•transport Pelton arrived yesterday
afternoon at Portsmouth from the Crimea with stores.
The Centaur steam-frigate, Captain Clifford, left Spit-
head yesterday for the westward.
The Mars, 80, which has been for some time in dock
at Chat,-am undergoing alterations and repairs to fit her
for a screw steam-vessel, which have been completed,
has lon nadocked and towed down the river as far as
Gillingham, where she will be stationed in ordinary for
the present.

The Malacca, 17, screw steam-vessel, Captain A. Far-
quhar, refitting for sea at Chatham, has been taken
out of dock and is ready for sea. She is still several
hands short of her complement.
An order has been received at Chatham Garrison from
the War Department, directing Captain E. D. Atkin-
son, 37th Regiment, the senior captain of, that corps, to
proceed to Ceylon for the purpose of juining the head-
quarters of his regiment.
'lk• 7th company of the Royal Sappers and Miners,
numherieg 125 non-commissioned officers and men,
under the command of Lieut. W. C. Anderson, Royal
Engineers, left the head-quarters of that corps at
Chatham yesterday afternoon, and proceeded by rail way
to Dev,mport, where they are to be stationed. Much
interest was created by a handsome black goat which
marched nt the head of the troops. This anim it and a
large camel were brought from the Crimea by the men
of the Royal Sappers and Miners, and on special oce t-
alons the animals, which are highly pfzed by the whole
corps, are marched at the head of the troops. Every
man of the company wears the Crimean medal, and
Lieut. Anderson, who had charge, is decorated with the
French Legion of Honour.
A detachment of 190 men of the 56th Foot, under the
command of 09.0 t. H. J. Tolcher, arrived on Monday
evening from Porgsmouth at Bristol, and • obarked yes-
terday afternoon for Plymouth. A smaller detach-
ment of the 13th Foot, in charge of an officer of the
20th Regiment, also reached Bristol at the same time
from Portsmouth, and left yesterday fur Waterford, on
their route to Templemore.

The following naval appointments have been made
Lieut. Wm. Moriarty, to the Impregnable ; Lieut. J.
C. Tucker, to the Excellent; Lieut. C. Fairholme, to
the Cruiser; Lieut. W. F. Lee, to the Sanspareil ; H.
Izod, naval cadet, to the Exmouth; H. Thompson,
naval cadet, to the Sanspareil.