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removed by us from the factory. That of course was not so. The
flanks, kidneys, and kidney fat were not found by us, and we had no
evidence that the pieces and glands we seized were all from one
and the same carcase.
On Wednesday, November 8th, Inspector Billing again visited
Messrs. Lipton's Sausage Factory at 6.15 a.m. He was informed by
Russell that pork carcases were not expected. He had good reason
however to return again at 6.45, and found 12 sides of pork being
delivered from Gosport, from the owner of the tuberculous pork
seized by us at Messrs. Lipton's in 1903. From each of these sides
the mammary and pharyngeal glands had been removed before delivery.
On November 9th, Inspector Billing called again at 7 a.m., although
we had been informed that the firm did not receive pork carcases on
Thursdays. He was surprised to find 30 sides of pork being received
from Bast Ham, many of which were stripped of their glands, and one
carcase was affected with generalised tuberculosis (this we confiscated).
Whilst the Inspector was engaged in examining this meat six more
sides of pork were delivered from Walthamstow. These six sides were
of excellent quality, all the glands being intact and healthy.
Acting on the instructions of the Public Health Committee, a
summons was issued against Messrs. Lipton, and the case was heard
before Mr. Cluer at the Worship Street Police Court on Tuesday,
December 5th. Mr. R. D. Muir appeared for the Finsbury Borough
Council, and Mr. Horace Avory, K.C., with Mr. Charles Matthews,
for Messrs. Lipton. Inspector Billing proved evidence of seizure, and
I gave evidence on the condition of the meat. No other witnesses
were called on behalf of the Borough Council. For the defence it was
admitted that the meat was diseased and had found its way into the
factory owing to the negligence of a servant. Two witnesses were
called, namely, Mr. Malpas, a meat dealer, from whom, on November
6th, Messrs. Lipton obtained certain pigs, and Mr. James King,
M.R.C.V.S., Superintendent Inspector of the Cattle Market at Islington.
Both witnesses gave evidence to the effect that the meat seized
by us had been inspected at the Cattle Market. Mr. Malpas, however,
had to admit in cross-examination that during only the last two
years meat belonging to him, and declared by him to have been
inspected at the Cattle Market, had been confiscated by us on seven
different occasions. Mr. King admitted that it was impossible to
examine all the pork carcases killed at the Cattle Market (78,000
annually), but that he did examine some pigs belonging to Malpas
on November 6th, and passed them, as being sound, for food.