Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-26
AFFECTED PIG MEAT
IN LONDON OF
ANIMAL TUBERCULOSIS.
Special Cablegram to The Star.

Special Cablegram TO The Star.
LONDON, March 26.-An official report by
Dr. G. S. Buchanan, just issued by the local
government board deals with admnistra-
ton In London with regard to the meat oil
pigs affected by tuberculosis, and comprises
a very full account of the several sources
from which such diseased meat is derived
and of the precautions now taken by dill
ferent public authorities for the purpose OF
interceptlng 1t on It's way to the consumer.
The object of the inquiry was to ascertain
what data are available regarding the ex-
istence of tuberculosis in pigs yielding meat
which Is sold in London as fresh PORK or Is
used in various preparations of pork; what
action is at present taken by the public au-
thorities concerned and by their officers for
the detection of tuberculosis in the carcasses
or viscera of such pigs; to what extent such
action may be relied upon for the detection
of tuberculosis in the pig either by exam
nation at the place of slaughter or by sub
sequent examination of the dressed carcass,
and what practice as regards condeinna-
ton official seizure and prosecution of Of
tenders is adopted by the different authorl-
ties concerned when dealing with meat de-
rived from pigs which have been affected
nv tuberculosis. The board, in directing
the inquiry was influenced by representa-
tons which had been made to them by
certain London medical officers of health
by firms and individuals engaged In the
pork trade and by others, which went TO
show the existence of considerable uncer-
tainty regarding these matters, and sug-
gested that considerable differences obtain
in the administrative measures regarding
swine tuberculosis which are adopted by
the several public authorities concerned.
Importance of the Question.
The Importance of the question which
Dr. Buchanan has Investigated depend
mainly upon the following considerations:
First, that tuberculosis in the pig, instead
of remaining for long periods limited to
certain organs. as 1t often does in bovine
animals Is ant to become rapidly dissent
mated through the body.
Second, that 1t was shown by experiments
instituted by the royal commission on tu-
berculoss of 1898 that any considerable
bulk of meat, such as a butchers joint or
a meat roll, does not by ordinary roasting
even by boiling get heated in its interior
to an extent invariably sufficient to destroy
the infective ability of any bacc.h of tu-
bercle which 1t may contain
Third. that various preparations of pig
meat are sold and consumed in very I'M
perfectly cooked condition.
Fourth, that various preparations of pig
meat are sold and consumed at the very
time that the presence of tuberculosis In
pigs Is most apparent
Fifth that its presence among the pigs
often points to It's presence among the boz
veterinary surgeons is that tuberculosis in
swine is very closely related to bovines tu-
bercuIosis, and that If there were no tu-
bereular cows there would be few tuber-
cular pigs. Pigs appear to be primarily in
fected in most cases through the mouth or
the digestive organs. and the ready COM
municability of human tuberculosis 10 pigs
has been shown by many carefully con-
Quoted experiments. 1t is fair presump-
ton that the disease might be conveyed
from pigs to man with at least equal IA
cilitv: and IL is difficult to believe that
swine tuberculosis would not be materially
checked by the adoption OF practicable
methods to insure greater care and clean
iiness in pig keeping and feeding. The
amount of disease now existing cannot be
precisely estimated only in places where
pigs are slaughtered in public abattoirs I'M
der a system OF inspection IN winch close
watch is keu to detect tuberculosis in any
degree.