2/4 Journal of Agriculture. [8 May, 1907. 



Tihe following particulars regarding the staff as now constituted are 

 taken from the Chief Veterinarian's latest statement: — 



Veterinary surgeons — 



At head-quarters ... ... 2 



On field-work ... ... 5 



Inspectorial work ... ... 19 



— 26 



Meat and dairy inspectors ... ... 10 



Assistant inspectors ... ... ... 19 



Clerical and laboratory staff ... ... 7 



62 



The main functions of the Department may be briefly stated as under : — 



I. The inspection of public and private abattoirs and of meat export 

 factories. The Department also urges the erection of public slaughter- 

 houses on conservative councils, and controls the management and sanitation 

 of them. Stock inspectors attend sale yards, farms and factory vards for 

 the purpose of culling all animals affected with a notifiable disease. In 

 the majority of the meat works and abattoirs a further ante-mortem 

 examination is carried out by the trained meat inspectors and their assist- 

 ants immediately prior to slaughter. The slaughtering and exenterating 

 operations are, as far as possible, performed under supervision, to pro\-ide 

 against the possibility of substituting healthv for diseased viscera. 



In many of the smaller factories special equipment is supplied to 

 meet the difiiculty ; by this meams the carcass and the viscera are placed 

 either side by side, directly opposite or in some other constant relation- 

 ship till the final inspection has been made. Any attempt toi mislead by 

 referring entrails to carcasses with which they have no connexion is met 

 W'ith a heavy penalty. 



After being washed with clean water each animal is closelv inspected 

 in the following manner: — 



(a) Facing the abdomen, the inspector passes h:s hands over the thighs, 

 stifles, flanks, inspects the inguinal area, opens the slit abdominal wall and 

 rapidly glances at the condition of the pelvis, loins, kidneys and kidnev 

 fat, peritoneum, diaphragm or "skirting." and the pleura or chest lining. 

 Next he runs his hands down over the elbows and in front of the shoulder 

 joint. In this way he includes the chief lymphatic glands of the bod\ , 

 viz., pophliteals, precrurals, inguinals, lumbars, thoracic, prepectorals and 

 prescapulars, in his system of inspection. The cervical or neck region 

 completes this part of the work. 



{b) Facing the back, the inspector passes his hands from tail to neck to 

 test the condition and at the same time to satisfy himself as to the absence 

 of bruises, deep-seated abscesses, discolorations, and as to the general 

 quality of the meat. 



(1:) The inspection of the viscera is very carefullv performed in the 

 case of suspected or diseased carcasses, and in a more cursory fashion 

 in all otlier cases. Removal of viscera to avoid inspection is rewarded 

 bv rejection of the whole carcass. Each carcass as rejected is branded 

 and set aside for more detailed examinat'on later on. It is then either 

 whollv condemned or else the diseased parts are separated and the re- 

 mainder "passed." 



