Diseased Meat.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 7 March 1891, Page 2

Diseased Meat.

« The Rev. H. Van Slaveren, the Jewish Rabbi at Wellington, gave some very interesting information about diseased meat before the committee of Live Stock. He said that the disease in cattle is not so prevalent as at Home, and that " outside diseases" are not prevalent in the colony, but inside diseases are very prevalent, and the sheep and cattle on this West Coast are more affected than those on the East Coast. He asserts that sheep and cattle from Wanganui have such diseases as pleurisy and tuberculosis. Cancers are very prevalent in sheep, especially in the livers. He has noticed, only occasionally, cancer on the back, caused by the shears. It occurs from the shears making a wound, which festers and cancer sets in. In cows, that are horned by oxen, cancer sets in in the jaw. He reckoned that fully 7 per cent of the slaught- 1 ered sheep and cattle sold to the 1 public for consumption in Wellington was more or less diseased. The worst diseases that rage are tuberculosis and consumption. The reverend gtnttoman la not only tbtßibbi,

but he inspects and slaughters all animals eaten by the Jews. Be admits that the disease may not be noticable till after death, and he makes it a rule to go thoroughly to Work and examines the lungs, liver, heart arid kidney^. A heart, oflOe he saw, was so diseased that you could not tell it from a hat. Upon being asked what steps he would suggest to remedy this unpleasant state of things, Mr Van Slaveren suggested public abattoirs, and a person of considerable experience as an inspector. He explained that his people paid him well for his work, and that men must be well paid who were trusted with such inspection. In reply to further queS' tions Mr Van Slaveren said that cancer was not very prevalent, not more than a fourth per cent of the cattle suffering from it. He could not agree that though the animals alive appeared healthy, it was proof that the disease did not affect the health of the animal very much, as he instanced cases where men who had heart disease, or kidney disease, looked well enough. He showed that it was only in the list stages of disease that it showed itself very much. Tuberculosis could be traced easy enough when the animal was dead, as they can be seen in the blood. The men employed by the Reverend gentleman dissect the throat and lungs for his inspection, Tubercolosis appear as very red hard pimples. The lungs very often become like leather when the animal suffers from pleurisy, sometimes green, sometimes the color of the white of an egg. There is more pleurisy amongst stock than any other disease, being quite four per cent in sheep. In answer to further questions the witness stated that he did not know why it was, but it was a fact, that cattle from Masterton are far more healthy than those about Palmerston. : r This evidence offers much food fox. thoughtful consideration, and Again-' endorses the wisdom displayed by this ancient people in the care of their health.