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33
house that the carcase of another cow that had been killed in the
last stage of the " lung disease " (pleuro-pneumonia) was awaiting
my opinion of the fitness, or otherwise, of the meat for
human food. I condemned the meat, which was removed to a
knacker's yard. No proceedings were taken in this case, but I
cautioned the licensee not to admit diseased animals—living or
dead—on his premises at any future time. Some time after the
occurrence of this case I learnt, to my great surprise, that
the instructions issued by the Metropolitan Board of Works, to
the district veterinary cattle inspectors under the provisions of
the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act authorised the removal
of diseased cows from cowsheds to a licensed slaughter-house for
the purpose of being killed; or if killed at the shed, of being
dressed, there to await the fiat of the inspector as to the fitness,
or otherwise, of the meat for human food. This instruction seems
to be at variance with the slaughter-house bye-laws, to say nothing
on the question of the propriety of using for food the flesh
of diseased animals. In the provinces it is the practice, I believe,
to destroy and bury animals affected with pleuro-pneumonia; and
I am under the impression that heavy fines have been inflicted
on persons for selling or exposing for sale the flesh of such
animals. In London cowkeepers are required, under a penalty
for neglect, to give notice to the Metropolitan Board of Works
of the occurrence of cases of pleuro-pneumonia; and they are
entitled to compensation from the Board to the extent of a moiety
of the value of any animals that may be killed with a view of
" stamping out" the disease. It follows that the larger the
amount realized by the sale of the carcase, for whatever purpose,
whether for the food of man or of cats, the less is the amount
payable to the owner in the way of compensation.
The proprietor of the slaughter-house in the Potteries first referred
to above, was fined Five pounds and costs for allowing a large
accumulation of putrid blood, &c , to remain on the premises after
his attention had been repeatedly called to the necessity of properly
storing and regularly removing all such matters before they
became offensive.
A seizure of meat unfit for human food was made at Norfolk
Terrace—at a mis-called "co-operative" store—and the defendant
was fined Twenty pounds and costs.
A person who had formerly kept a licensed cow-shed was
fined Forty shillings and costs for keeping cows for dairy purposes
without a license.
A somewhat serious nuisance having been complained of, arising
at an iron foundry at Notting Hill, from the escape of noxious
fumes and grit from the low but capacious chimney above the
melting furnaces, I gave a certificate to the effect necessary to
found legal proceedings, which, however, were not had recourse
to, the proprietors of the foundry having expressed their willingness
to adopt any measures I might advise, with a view to remove