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102
"would probably be the attitude towards this proposal of many of the
"ordinary consumers of pork—namely, that even if the risk of eating
"pork from a tuberculous animal is negligible, they prefer to have their
"meat from the animal which is sound, especially when they pay
"full price."
It would probably be difficult to find anyone who would dissent from this
view of the question.
As a consequence of the increased numbers of carcasses of tuberculous pigs
condemned, there has been great disturbance of the trade. The question is
obviously one of considerable importance from the public health point of view,
as evidenced by the fact that during the year 1905 your officers condemned
in the City no less than 4,631 carcasses of pigs, which accounted for 124 tons
of the 168 tons of meat returned as diseased during that year.
Much difference of opinion exists on the Continent with regard to the
advisability of condemning carcasses of pigs only slightly affected with the
disease, but as will be seen in another part of this Report, both the Netherland
and Danish Governments have adopted the recommendations of the English
Commission with regard to pork exported to this country.
Owing to representations made by trade associations, the whole matter has
for some time past been under the consideration of the Sanitary Committee,
to whom your Medical Officer has presented several Reports on the subject,
but Dr. Buchanan's Report to the Local Government Board will probably
strengthen their determination to carry out the recommendations of the
Royal Commission on Tuberculosis in their entirety.
The present, and the only possible position for the Corporation to take, is that
laid down by the Report of the Royal Commission on Tuberculosis, and
subsequently enjoined by the Local Government Board.
As has been constantly pointed out, the inspection at the Market cannot be
absolutely complete in detail, inasmuch as in some cases evidence of disease
cannot be obtained until the carcass is cut up.
It is, therefore, only reasonable that at times pigs with small trace of the
disease may escape detection, though the above figures are sufficient proof of
the value of the inspection.
This consideration, however, will not, it appears, satisfy those who desire
perfect protection, which could only be obtained at the cost of dislocation
of the whole trade of the Market.