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51
With regard to the tinned condensed milk, said to have been machine skimmed
prepared in Holland, this was brought under our notice by the person to whom it
belonged. It was found after careful examination that with the exception of' about 4
dozen tins the whole was bad and quite unfit for food. All the tins appeared to be
more or less blown, and in many instances had given way at one end where circular
pieces of tin had been soldered over the places at which the tins had been filled. This
gave rise to a suspicion that the same had been tampered with. The manner in which
they have been sealed, however, appears to be a recognised one in the trade. The
stuff which was bad was seized by Inspector Lear and taken before a Magistrate, who
made an order condemning it, and it was accordingly destroyed. The question as to
taking legal proceedings then arose. The person on whose premises it was seized
brought the stuff under our notice. As soon as he found that it was bad he had no
intention of selling it. The party who sold it to him carried on his business in
West Ham. This same party was previously in business in Stepney, He left there
after being prosecuted, convicted, and imprisoned for selling tinned food unfit for human
consumption. Enquiries were made in West Ham and Stepney as to the nature of the
business carried on by the party in question. It appears that he was in the habit of
buying damaged stocks of tinned foods of various descriptions, such as meat, fish,
fruits, etc., with a view to separating what was fit for food and rejecting what was unfit.
Although this may be a legitimate business it is, nevertheless, one which from its
nature is very readily open to abuse and is consequently to be regarded with suspicion.
In the case under consideration the goods had been on the hands of the person on whose
premises they were seized for several months, and it was impossible to obtain reliable
evidence as to the condition of the tins at the time the sale took plaice. Moreover,
every tin bore a printed label upon which was a caution to the effect that any unsound
tins were not to be sold but to be returned when full price would be allowed. Under
the circumstances it was not deemed advisable to take legal proceedings.
In September a circular letter was received from the Local Government Board
pointing out the desirability of uniformity in the practice of meat inspection, in respect to
the carcases of cattle, and urging the observance of the principles laid down by the
Royal Commission on Tuberculosis in their report for 1898 with respect to the degree
of tuberculous disease which should cause the seizure of a carcase or part thereof.
The principles referred to are as follows:—
The entire carcase and all the organs may be seized (a) when there is miliary tuberculosis
of both lung's, (b) when tuberculous lesions are present on the pleura and peritoneum,
(c) when the lesions are present in the muscular system or in the lymphatic
glands embedded in or between the muscles, and (d) when tuberculous lesions exist
in any part of an emaciated carcase.
The carcase if otherwise healthy shall not be condemned, but every part of it
containing tuberculous lesions shall be seized (a) when the lesions are confined to th<.
lungs and the thoracic lymphatic glands, (b) when the lesions are confined to the liver,