ALLEGED DISEASED MEAT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12394, 2 July 1902, Page 7

ALLEGED DISEASED MEAT.

CHARGE OF EXPOSING FOR SALE,

Tho hearing of the charges against "JV.illiara Higgin3°n of selling alleged diseased meat was resumed at tho Police Court, before Mr E. H, Carew, S.M., yesterday. The- first charge was that laid by Dr Ogston of on Juno 12 exposing for sa-li! in his butchery, Frederick street, certain beef unfit for human consumption. Tho second charge, laid by W. Snowball, was of exposing for sale beef'that had not been killed at a registered abattoir, thoro hcing such available in tho district. Mr Eraser appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Hanlon for the defence.'

T. B. Fairbairn, town'clerk, gave formal evidence,. ■ '/ ■ .

Dr Ogston, district health officer, . deposed that lio had conductbd over 500 post moitom examinations in his life. He inspected certaiu beef at Bumsjdo in! company, ,iVith ..Messrs Snowball and Wilkic. The flesh was much darker in colour tliah it should be, showing it was not properly bled. It was also flabby, showing that post mortem rigidity'had not set 'in. It pitted on pressure, .showing it waß filled with watery fluid. At one point inside the chest was a little knob the. sise of n French bean that looked tubercular. One of the bones about the pelvis had ; bcen broken, and round about- it was a lot .ot. dotted Wood. He- did not consider the moaj; fit for lijimnn consumption, Ho thought the' animal limst have been killed when at the point of death. From the condition of tho flesh lie judged the animal was thou in a very feverish eondilion. An animal suffering from fever Would probably develop in the living tissues what were called leucomaincs. Meat in that condition had been known to produce typhus symptoms, diarrhoea, vomiting, or more, dangerous head symptoms, a3 typhoid fever. It .was condemned unhesitatingly by him as possibly dangeroiis, though not certainly so. It' was his business to avoid any risk.

Henry Charles Willtic, vcferinary surgeon, said he examined the beef in question. The carcase was in a flabby, moist condition, dark in colour, and' was that of a cow suffering from tuberculosis. ' The meat was not fit for human pse. Tho remainder of the witness's evidence confirmed tbat of the previous witnoss, Inspector Donaldson deposed that on Juno 12, from information received, ho'visited defendant's shop and examined a carcase of beef there. It was not 'In a good condition, and he told Mr Hi'gginson that Mr Snowball had hotter see it. . He saw it subsequently at tlio abattoirs. He told Mr' Higginsoii' at first that the meat looked all right, pecausc otherwise he would probably have lost the meat, and. it would have been cut- up. The shop was visited by himself, Dr Ogston, and Mr Snowball on Saturday morning,' when the meat had been cut up. It waa handed over to Mr Snowball.

After Mr Donaldson had been cror.s-eximiincd at- length tho ease for the prosecution closed.

Mr Hanlon then culled evidence for the defence from Dr 'Will, who was anxious not to be detained.

Dr Will, medical practitioner, residing .at Abbotsford, said ho examined a .carcase of beef on June in in company with Mr Higginson nnd Mr Hamilton. On the inner side of tho ribs tho flesh was darker in colour than usual. There was no sign of rigour mortis, but there wero signs of putrefaction on one of the shins. The meat was rather softer than usual. There was a br.cak in one of tho pelvis bones.' He could sec no reason why the beast should not ho used for food, considering it had been dead four or five days, judging by external inspect lion. His opinion was different after he learned the history of the case- This, however, was not.to lie gathered from its apnearinicc. Ho used some of tho meat.for focd himsc'.f, but saw that it was thoroughly cooked. He did not disagree with the.medical evidence given. Ho would not have passed the meat had he known the history of. the case.. .

Mr ilan'on then asked for an adjournment till Thursday, as ho had an engagement for the afternoon, and also wished for time to connidcr the casre now that llie nature of the evidence was disclosed. Ho had n host of witnesses, whom it might be unnecessary to call. The adjournment was granted,