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158
magistrate, though accepting the diseased condition of the
carcase as a fact, dismissed the case, with ten guineas costs
against the Council, on the ground that the defendant did not
have an opportunity of inspecting the carcase prior to seizure.
In view of the decision of the learned magistrate, it may
be interesting to recall the circumstances surrounding the
seizure. In October, 1906, while engaged in inspecting my
district, in company with Inspector Benjamin, I inspected a
private slaughterhouse at York Road. The premises were
rarely used, the owner, who had a butcher's shop adjoining,
seldom killing his own meat. I was surprised to find, therefore,
that two oxen had been slaughtered, one of them being
already dressed and hung, the carcase being very thin and
emaciated. The other carcase was being flayed when I arrived,
being apparently in much better condition than the one already
dressed. After making a careful examination of the dressed
carcase and offal without being able to find any definite evidence
of disease, I waited until the other carcase was dressed. On
inspection of that I was of opinion that it was affected with
generalised tuberculosis. On asking for the owner of the
slaughterhouse, I was informed that he was absent, but a man
named Greenwood, a butcher, who has a butcher's shop a short
distance away, in the Borough of Wandsworth, was present,
and stated that he sold the beasts to the owner of the slaughterhouse,
a statement which he later denied in writing. I pointed
out that the carcase was unfit for human food, and that it
should be destroyed. To this course he demurred, and asked
for time to consult his trade organisation. I agreed to this,
and later two officials of the trade organisation arrived, both of
whom protested at the decision at which I had arrived, and
that the offal only was affected, and that it was a case of
localised tuberculosis, the carcase in their opinion being perfectly
sound. I informed them that unless the carcase was
given up to me, I would seize it, and, seeing that I had made
up my mind to this course, they asked that they should be
allowed to call in an expert on their behalf. I agreed to this,
and later Professor Pemberthy, of the Royal Veterinary