654 VETEEINARY HYGIENE 



inspection of meat, which is intentionally prepared outside 

 the district in which a public abattoir is situated. 



The marking of foreign meat as evidence of its inspection 

 at the time of slaughter was also recommended, and that 

 steps should be taken through the proper channel to ascer- 

 tain that efficient inspection at foreign slaughter-houses 

 takes place, of meat intended for consumption in this 

 country. 



The wisdom of this step is obvious, it is no use having 

 a rigorous home inspection and letting in foreign meat 

 without any examination. It must be borne in mind that 

 such an inspection on landing must necessarily be very 

 crude and imperfect, and the onus of a complete examina- 

 tion should be placed on the shoulders of the country which 

 supplies the material. 



Slaughter-houses. 



We do not intend discussing whether a slaughter-house 

 should be a private concern or the property of the public, 

 for the reason that private slaughter-houses are absolutely 

 unjustifiable, and a serious danger to the public health. 

 Still they exist, and it is desirable to inquire into the con- 

 ditions which attach to them. 



All private slaughter-houses in urban districts in England 

 and Wales are either Registered or Licensed. By the 

 former is meant a house which was in existence when the 

 Towns Improvement Clauses Act of 1847 was applied ; by 

 Licensed houses is understood those which have come into 

 existence since that period, and of which the license is 

 renewed annually or otherwise. 



A Registered house which sells unsound or diseased 

 meat, cannot be touched by any local authority for having 

 done BO, unless the occupier is the owner or proprietor ; 

 a Licensed house can be permanently closed after two 

 convictions of the occupier. 



By the system of license, it is within the power of all 

 local authorities to reduce the number of slaughter-houses 



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