PHOSPHORESCENT MEAT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 142, 16 June 1906, Page 6

PHOSPHORESCENT MEAT.

Reference was made at a meeting of the Melbourne Board of Health to the fact that in Melbourne and suburbs phosphorescent meat was exposed for sale. Dr. Norris, chairman of the board, stated that a large portion of the' meat supply of tihe metropolis came from cool stores. Hundreds of thousands of carcases were placed in the stores, and when the want lor export fell away these carcases had to remain in stores, and were afterwards thrown on the local market. The presence of phosphorescence in meat was due tio micro organisms, which developed in the dark. These organisms had power to grow at relatively low tempeaturcs. While phosphorescence could not be said to make meat unwholesome, its presence was an index to the prevalence of conditions either in llhe domestic meat store or in the meat store of a butcher which could not be characterised as cleanly. The condition was due to a germ, and where that germ could flourish undoubt- ! edly filth germs of putrefaction, which j give rise to ptomaine poisoning, could also flourish. If regulations adopted by the board under the Meat Supervision Act had been observed, this condition would not be developed in the meat placed in cool 6t)ores. The presence of pl.osphorescence was an indication that the meat was not as fresh as it might be, and was stored under conditions not wholly satisfactory.