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49
The s.s. "Peshawur" arrived from Hankow in the Royal Albert Dock on
the 27th January with 2,621 pig carcasses and 52 packages of "pigs' bungs"
on board. It was stated that about 800 of the carcasses were in the form of
the entire carcass of the pig, and as such would have been allowed to land,
provided that on detailed examination they were found to comply with the
requirements of the Foreign Meat Regulations, but the importers decided to
export them.
The remainder of the carcasses were not imported under an official certificate
approved by the Local Government Board, and were without the
backbone (as in the case of the pig carcasses in the s.s. "Graf Muravjef)," and
therefore came within the category of the Foreign Meat of Class I. A notice was
accordingly served upon the importers, under Article V. of the Foreign Meat
Regulations, forbidding the removal of the carcasses for any purpose other
than exportation.
An examination of some of the "pigs' bungs" disclosed the fact that many
of them presented the intestinal lesions of Swine Fever. A Notice was served
upon the importers requiring the exportation of these also.
The pig carcasses and the casks of "pigs' bungs" on the s.s. "Peshawur"
were transferred to the s.s. "Graf Muravjef," and both the consignments of
pig carcasses and casks of "pigs' bungs" sailed from London in the latter
vessel.
I ascertained that the destination of the vessel was Liverpool, and
particulars of the consignments were, therefore, forwarded to the Medical
Officer of Health for that Port.
During the latter part of the year, pig carcasses from France were despatched,
via Ostend, and arrived in the Tilbury Dock.
As these carcasses did not bear the official certificate of the Belgian
Government, approved by the Local Government Board, each carcass had to
be carefully examined.
The total number of carcasses which arrived was 425; of these, three were
found to be affected with tuberculosis, and were seized and destroyed. Two
were without the lymphatic glands about the throat, and were exported in
accordance with the requirements of the Foreign Meat Regulations.