24 ESSENTIALS OF VETERINARY LAW 
against the operation of a livery stable? A man 
may burn the refuse upon his place, but if that 
burning endangers his neighbor’s property he may 
not lawfully so burn it, even though there be no 
enacted statute or ordinance prohibiting such 
burning. Such a bonfire would violate this prin- 
ciple of the common law, and if he persisted in 
burning his rubbish, and his neighbor’s property 
should be burned, he would be liable in civil dam- 
ages for the value of the property destroyed, and 
for other injuries sustained, because he violated 
this principle. So, if a man has a vicious dog, and 
he permits the dog to run in the street, he is not 
so using his own property as to protect others 
from being injured. If a man sells diseased meat 
for food, and the purchaser should sustain injury 
therefrom, he would be liable in civil damages. A 
man must not use his property in such a way that 
it will work injury to his neighbor. 
It will be found that this principle lies at the 
root of a large proportion of the present discus- 
sion, though its relation thereto may not always 
be clearly mentioned. 
14. Police Power Is Above Private Rights. It 
is evident from the foregoing that the police pow- 
er of the state, perhaps as represented by the city, 
is superior to private rights. Under police power 
property may be seized when it is a danger to the 
community. Thus it frequently happens that 
meat may be seized, and even destroyed, without 
giving to the owner any compensation, even 
though there may be some value therein, aside 
2 Board of Health v. Tupper, 
210 Mass. 378, 96 N. E. 1096. 
