Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1895. DISEASED MEAT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5187, 21 November 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1895. DISEASED MEAT.

Cattle and sheep, as they ace, resemble human beings in certain respects; they becomo liable to many diseases, and veterinary experts have at their linger ends, a catalogue of ailments, as long as that with which the ordinary M.D. is familiar. What becomes of those diseased

animals? Wo are very much afraid that many of Ihem lind their way, - in small morsels, down the proverbial " red lane," and aro assimilated in llm human system. Tlio Jews are exceedingly fortunate in this matter. In' large towns they exercise a strict • vigilance over all the meat killed for their use, and by this precaution escape certain perils to which other people are liable. It is said that the superior health of the Jewish race is largely attributable to this practice. Of course, even when meat affected by disease, is consumed, very much of the unwholesome character of it is destroyed by the process of cooking, and the ill-elfcct of consuming if, is very much modified, but it is beyond doubt, that some ill-effect remains, A case which occurred at Palmorston North last week, shows the danger to which the public arc liable in this respect. A well-known settler was charged on the information of Hie Inspector of Stock with exposing tbrco diseased cows, for sale in tlio Fcihling public sule yards on the 27th of September last, The Inspector saw tho cattle slaughtered/ and found the lungs, liver and diaphragm to be diseased, one cow's lungs were almost a solid mass of corruption, her diaphragm was also extensively diseased, there was litunierouV growth on tho inside of the ribs; tlio thorax also con- . tained a number of tumours; ■ diseased cattlo sometimes made fat j ; tho other two cows were badly 1 diseased, but not so oxtonsively as i the first one; Mr Gilntfch, Govern- ' nient Veterinary Surgeon, gave ' evidence and'said the specimens sent j him by Mrßluudell were infected bv • tuberculosis, and that tho meat from such animals was dangerous to the j public health, as also the milk from 5 such animals. 1

Now, if the Government Inspector had not interfered in this matter, what would have bpcorao of those cows P Thoy woiildiiiftli probability be sold for human consumption. Of course, a respectable butcher would not have bought fchoui, but gonentlly thoro is somcono in tho meat trade who is not over-scrupulous, and in all probability the meat from these cancerous animals would have found its way on to jtlip poor inan's tabic Tho Magistrate' very properly marked his sense of the gravity of the ojfonco of offering diseased cattle I for sale by lining the defendant the full penalty of twenty pounds on each cow, This case forcibly draws the attention of tho publio to, tho

absolute necessity of protection from the slaughter and sale of diseased meat. In this district the onus of giving such protection ib placed on the shoulders of the Borough Council, and we trust that this body will take some step to ensure that unwholesome moat is not vended to tho community. An expert, now in Masterton, tells us that carcase mutton is but little affected by disease, and is a very safe meat to oat. Cancerous complaints occasionally cause the flesh of cattle to become unwholesome, and do still wider mischief when the evil is dis-' tributcd through the milk of a diseased cow, Tho main enemy to bo dreaded is ovidently the cancerous beast. No respectable butcher would kill such an animal, but such animals do exist, and it would bo well if tho proper authorities ascertained whether they are used for human food.