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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.
