The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1895. DISEASED STOCK.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 116, 14 November 1895, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1895. DISEASED STOCK.

♦— — The very heavy penalties inflicted by the S.M., ak Palmerstoo, as reported in our issue of yesterday, on a stockowner for having sent for sale by auction certain cows in a diseased condition, should act as not only a caution but a deterrent. It has been well known for some time that cattle bad been sold, which, when slaughtered, were not only unfit for food, but were actually a danger to human life by conveying tbe germs of a hideous disease. In consequence of tbe possession of that knowledge tbe Inspector of Stock bas been vigilant and attentive to his duties. His energy in attempting to .remove the danger of infection by securing tbe destruction of stock suffering from cancer or tuberculosis, cannot be too highly commended. Owners of cattle will now fiod it not only advantageous but profitable to look to tbe health of their herds more carefully than they have in tbe past, and to avoid vending " a waster "which is unhealthy as " a store "—just to get rid of it. About a year ago the subject of the spread of cancer and the numerous deaths from that cause in this colony was fully discussed in 7 our columns, bnt we have no hesitation in opening up the subject again, for the reason that since that time four or five fatal, and a very large number of minor, cases have either came under our notice or been reported by our contemporaries. It is for experts to attempt to account for it, but there is an opinion extant, which we think deserves respect, that diseased meat partaken of without hay- • ing been properly or sufficiently cooked to destroy the germs, has been a main contributing cause. The disease may also be conveyed by inoculation as instanced in an extract published in another column. It will be interesting to note whether with the disappearance of infected stock, and the consequent discontinuance of the practice of 1 vending meat unfit for human consumption, either with knowledge or in ignor--1 ance, there is a reduction in the number 1 of reported cases of cancer. We are confident that there will be.