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80 food supervision.
It is generally admitted that pigs are susceptible to tuberculosis of human origin, and it
can be scarcely doubted that the transference of the disease from pigs to man is more than
probable or possible. It is therefore the duty of the Health Department to do its utmost to
prevent the sale of tubercular pigs' flesh-in all its forms—for food for man. This will never
be accomplished until the law enables the responsibility for such sale, and for its preceding
exposure for sale, to be brought home to the proper person. Who then is to be regarded as
liable? In the London trade the flesh passes through three hands, or occasionally only two.
The three are the slaughterer, the wholesale dealer (usually on commission) and the retailer.
In Paddington the retailer alone has to be dealt with. In all but a few cases, he gets his
pigs from the wholesale dealer, the exceptions from farmers or slaughterers in the country.
The Department, as representing the Council, looks primarily to the retailer to see that no
diseased pork is exposed for sale. Most of the retailers, with the consent of the Public
Health Committee, have during the past few years sought the advice of the Inspector in
examining meat purchased by them prior to exposure for sale. It would be unfair, on fueling
diseased meat, to proceed against a trader who takes this precaution; but it should be
observed that it is scarcely within the province of the Department to protect him by placing
at his disposal knowledge and skill which lie ought himself to possess as qualifications for his
business. In no other trade or occupation is a similar protection afforded or expected, nor
would the lack of knowledge and skill be admitted as a defence, as is so often done in meat
prosecutions. The retailer who does not take the precaution to secure examination before
exposure for sale, and on whose premises diseased pork is found, has to bear all the liabilities,
pains and penalties prescribed by law.