38 
BERLIN. 
Meat of an inferior quality which is yet not so bad that the inspectors have 
to condemn it as unfit for human food is passed on to the “ Freibank” shops for 
sale under close veterinary supervision. There are four such shops, located in 
working-class districts, and there is always an excess of demand over supply. 
A crowd of women as a rule gathers at the doors long before the opening hour, 
and the stock of meat is soon sold. If the inspectors think necessary they can 
order the defective meat to be boiled before exposure for sale. The prices of all 
“ Freibank ” meat are fixed jointly by the authorities and representatives of the 
dealers concerned, and the proceeds are paid over to the latter less a deduction 
to cover expenses. Not more than three kilograms or about 6J> lb. may be sold 
to one person, and dealers and restaurant keepers may not be purchasers. During 
the year 1904/5 29,308 cwts. of meat passed through the “Freibank” shops, 
this being equal to a consumption of 1‘8 4 lb. per head of the population. 
The average price realized was about 3\d. per lb. 
There is a considerable consumption of horseflesh in Berlin. The animals 
are required to be killed at a special abattoir distinct from the municipal 
abattoir, and under the management of the police authority. The number of 
carcases used for food has increased as follows during the past ten years :— 
Year. 
1896 
1897 
1898 
1899 
1900 
Number of 
animals 
slaughtered. 
7,382 
8,513 
9,753 
9,483 
10,185 
Year. 
1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 
J 905 
Number of 
animals 
slaughtered. 
11,693 
12,616 
11,218 
11,192* 
13,752t 
* Including 416 slaughtered at Rixdorf. 
t Including 862 slaughtered at Rixdorf. 
In general it may be said that the consumption is only limited by the supply, 
which is no longer so elastic as formerly. Horseflesh may not be sold in shops 
together with other kinds of meat. The usual price in 1907 was 5^d. per lb. for 
fillet, 4^d. for parts for ordinary joints, and 3|d. for minced meat. Several kinds 
of horse sausage are made, and have a good sale. The best fresh sausage and 
salami sausage cost 8§d. per lb., inferior fresh sort 5^d. } and hard keeping 
sausage 4^d. Pickled horseflesh costs 5^d. per lb., and in several horse meat 
shops rissoles and warm sausages are sold at a little over a halfpenny each at 
certain hours of the day.