158 
VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
sheep were young or old, or how long they had been diseased. 
Food and climate would have much to do with their condition. 
This concluded the case for the prosecution. 
Mr. Granger said that he had been instructed by the Leeds 
Butchers’ Association to call before the Court several witnesses of 
great experience, who would state that it was a very common thing at 
this season of the year to find traces of disease in the livers of sheep, 
whilst the carcases were perfectly sound and fit for human food. 
Mr. Mitchell , V.S., stated that he had been requested to examine 
the sheep on behalf of both sides. The livers of nine of the carcases 
were diseased, but not rotten by any means. 
The Town Clerk. —That is sufficient to prove my case. 
Mr. Granger. —The bench will decide it. 
Mr. Mitchell, continuing his evidence, said that whilst there were 
flukes in each of the nine livers the fact did not affect the meat a 
bit. In his opinion, if the carcases, instead of being hung up in the 
dead meat depot, where there was no ventilation, had been allowed 
to remain in the slaughter-house, where there was a current of air 
continually passing through, the meat would have been as firm as a 
deal board. The legs, loins, shoulders, and back were as firm as 
could be wished. He saw some of the carcases cut up, and the 
meat was bright and clear. He did not know what Mr. Fer¬ 
guson had been living upon, but he (Mr. Mitchell) would be only 
too glad to get such meat. (Laughter.) 
The Town Clerk. —Do you pledge your professional reputation 
that these sheep were not diseased and unfit for food ? 
Witness. —I do, so far as regards them not being rotten. I could 
hear the grating of the knife as they were cutting up the liver—a 
thing you could not do if they were rotten. The sheep were thin, 
being half-breds. There was a little air underneath the cellular 
tissue when the knife was put in, but there was no water. When the 
kidneys were cut into they were a little pale. 
By Mr. Granger. —Half-bred sheep as a rule are small. 
William Fearnley. V. S., said that he had been called on behalf of 
the Corporation to examine the sheep in the depot—a shed without 
any ventilation. The livers, lungs, hearts, and kidneys were all 
arranged upon a table, He examined the hearts and lungs, and 
found them perfectly healthy. With the exception of slight external 
symptoms of disease the whole of the kidneys were perfectly healthy. 
The symptoms exhibited were those usually seen in sheep at this 
season of the year, and he thought that the meat was perfectly 
sound. [The livers of the sheep were here produced and examined 
by witness, who, taking one in his hand selected by Dr. Robinson, 
said that he only wished his own liver was in as healthy a con¬ 
dition. (Laughter.) Dr. Robinson also handed to the witness another 
liver, and pointing to a particular portion asked him if he did 
not think that it presented an appearance different from that of a 
healthy liver? The witness, laughing, said that the particular 
portion had been in the dirt, and that it was in fact the ligament 
binding it to the diaphragm.] (Laughter.) 
