The Inspection of Meat

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 101, 26 October 1897, Page 2

The Inspection of Meat

Apropos of this question of ll<i erection of j. ubhc ghetto ., s ecmn>a p»ver read before the annua! for.gi- j- ..t tl; > Sanitary Aspociatirn of Sc l! inn <n A.iv.ust laei by PrincipH- D.^wnr, of the Royal Veterinary College. Edinburgh. The writer eta ted that spirt nl'ogether from the specific organisms of disease, there were diseases ot a (septic nature, in which the flesh or tissues of the animal were tainted, in some case* almost saturated, with poisonous ptomaines, albnmosei, or toxins, the secretion* or excretions of these organisms — in fact, ctutnical poisons, which were not always broken up or rendered ianocnonp by boiling. I esid«a beii g gf-ntrated in the tissues of the living animal hy these pathogenic organisms, these of similar substance* might be formed in the tissues after death, owing to commencing decomposition, by sapropliytic or putrefactive organisms. There was no doubt a good deal of i.nimal food, principally in the form of game, eaten after it was " tainted" or " high," bnt tbat was not always safe, and in* stances were not uncommon where diarrhoea and seriouß illness bad followed its ingestios, and unfortunately, in some cases collapse and death. Ths was not surprising when they reflected tbat thin change, however highly appreciated by some, was really due to commencing decomposition, and tbat it took place through the action of organisms which undoubtedly generated poisonous substance. Decomposition took place the more readily in game as the animals were seldom bled, and in some species of game the retention of the blood within the body was greatly valued. This was in striking contrast to the efforts made to remove all blood from the body in cattle, shoep, «!tc, after slaughter. The reason for this was* the readiness with widen the blood underwent decomposition. The better an animal was bled the better were tho keeping properties of the meal.. Caseg were still frequently occurring of meat being seized and condemned aa unfit for human food which had undoubtedly been intended for that purpose. And if seizures were not quite so frequent as they once were, it was unwise to assume that it was due to a cessation of the practice. It was well known that in some towns and some districts inspection was at present more strictly carried out than in others, and those individuals who made a pnictice of disposing of inferior and unwholesome food were not liksly to be the last to learn where inspection was most lax. After referring to the question an to who should bear the loss of an animal condetuned, the learned principal proceeded to argue tbat the only satisfactory system of meat inspection was in the slaughter- bouses by qualified veterinary practitioners, and those towns which did not already have public slaughterhouses should be called upon to provide them, so tbat the private slaughterhouse should be done away wi th. He approved of the continental mt thod of sterilising carcases tainted with tuber* culosia and then allowing the meat to be nsed as food. This, however, has always appeared to us to be an nnwise policy to adopt in dealing with such a highly dangerous disease as tubercalosis.