BY HON. W, F. TAYLOR, M.D., M.L.C., D.P.H. 103 



of tuberculous animals is attended with some danger of infection 

 it should not be admitted as an article of human food. A rigid 

 inspection of every animal killed for human consumption should 

 be instituted, and on the discovery of tuberculous deposit in 

 any of the organs the carcase should be condemned. To permit 

 the whole or portions of the carcase to be used for human food 

 is, in my opinion, playing with the question of prevention of 

 tuberculosis, and the statement of the Royal Commission, which 

 I have quoted, goes far to prove this contention. If, therefore, 

 the flesh of tuberculous animals should under no circumstances 

 be used for human food, it follows that the inspection of the 

 animal to be thorough must be made under suitable conditions, 

 and every facility offered to the inspector for performing his 

 work properly and efficiently. It will be necessary, therefore, to 

 have the slaughtering done in as few places as possible, and at 

 certain fixed times, so that an inspector may be always present, 

 and have every facility for examining the internal organs for any 

 obvious disease, and when doubt may arise, the opportunity for 

 a microscopical examination of the tissues should be afforded. 

 The slaughter-house should be well lighted and ventilated, there 

 should be a plentiful supply of pure water, and the drainage 

 should be perfect. The addition of a cooling chamber is not 

 only very desirable, but a necessity, in order to preserve the 

 carcases during hot weather, pending a thorough microscopical 

 examination in suspected cases. The slaughter-house should be 

 divided into compartments, in order that each butchers' stock 

 may be kept separated, and there should be suitable conveyances 

 for the removal of the carcases to the different butchers' shops. 

 The modern abattoir fulfils all the necessary requirements 

 recommended, and is replete with conveniences which cannot 

 possibly exist in every small slaughter-house. The following is 

 a description of an abattoir which may be regarded as tolerably 

 up-to-date : — A square piece of ground, open on one side to the 

 public road and on the other side to a railway siding, so that 

 animals coming by road or rail could be readily admitted. The 

 chief entrance on the street would be for persons coming on 

 business. Cattle arriving by rail would be received into a number 

 of pens in the first instance, and be examined by a vetermary 

 inspector. If any were found to be diseased, they would be taken 

 to a place set apart for diseased animals. Pigs, if possible, 

 should have a bath, being made to walk through a cement tank 



