1843-44 
PUBLIC SERVICES 
217 
went also, accompanied by a police officer, into 
some of the miserable lodgings in St. Giles’s. When 
he came back he was quite distressed at the misery 
and filth he had witnessed.’ 
A few days later we find his attention directed 
to the necessity of a reform in the matter of 
slaughter-houses in London, although the Special 
Commission on the Meat Supply of the Metropolis 
and the State of Smithfield Market did not take 
place until 1849. 
He started off early one morning (we read 
in the diary), in a dense fog, after breakfasting 
by candle-light, ‘ with the desperate determination 
to find his way to Whitechapel, having it in his 
charge to examine the slaughter-houses there. 
He succeeded in his task, and after a hard day’s 
Work came back safe and sound, the fog having 
lifted a little.’ In the following week he went with 
Mr. Hobhouse to Leadenhall Market. There he 
saw Mr. Scales (butcher). ‘ Mr. S. says he is wil- 
ing that the slaughtering should be kept out of 
London if all butchers were made to do the same. 
R. dined afterwards with Sir Robert Inglis. Had 
Mr. Scales up here. R. in character of Com- 
niissioner and Inquisitor. Mr. Chadwick also to 
help cross-examine.’ 
In May, Owen received a letter from Professor 
Mrolich, giving an account of his own dis.section 
M the pearly nautilus, stating that he found all 
the observations made by Owen confirmed. On 
