Instauración y consolidación de la inspección veterinaria de carnes en Madrid en la primera mitad del siglo XIX

Résumé

There's no doubt that my initial, and long years lasting, professional connection to the slaughterhouses veterinary inspection, have mainly influenced my subject's choice for the present survey. The slaughterhouses peculiarity, being the only alimentary premises where there is a full-time public veterinary assigned, as well as the responsibility assumed by this one to determine the slaughtered meats consumption suitability, for which he must display all his professional skills, soon attracted my interest in the origin and evolution of this important veterinary facet. Well known authors in the veterinary history, like Sanz Egaña, had already investigated in a prolix manner the slaughterhouses veterinary inspection beginnings, making very clear where and when this veterinary aspect was originated. This work attempts to consider a variety of factors that could have influenced and contributed to the veterinarian initiation in the foodstuff inspection as well as to explain the circumstances in which this one was generated with the purpose of contextualizing its origin and causes from diverse points of view. Therefor we tackle the foodstuff supply for public consumption study in Madrid within a social and economic context. The foodstuff supply has always been both a municipal responsibility and a difficult management question, since the local Government had to try to avoid frauds, taxes defrauds and to guarantee the necessary amount and quality of supplied foods, permanently adapting itself to Madrid's population changes. To face the situation, Madrid Mayor's Office developed a real legislative body with the aim of regulating and normalizing de meats supply, initially in the manner of "good government manifestos" and, later, throughout regulations...