HC Deb 29 March 1897 vol 47 c1565
ADMIRAL FIELD (Sussex, Eastbourne)

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to a serious case of swine fever at Bishops Waltham, on the estate of General Elrington, in November last, where 66 pigs of considerable value were ordered to be slaughtered by the local committee in the presence of an inspector acting under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act; whether he is aware that 15 of the carcasses were subsequently dressed with a view to being consigned to the Central Meat Market in London; that five of the number were found to be affected with the fever spots and were subsequently buried; and that the remaining ten were nevertheless sent off to London for sale, although they came from the very same pen or stye as those diseased; and whether such action by inspectors is in accordance with the regulations of the Department, after the owner had received an official notice that all the pigs in the styes affected were to be slaughtered and buried?

MR. LONG

Yes; I am aware of the case of swine-fever to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers, and I have caused full inquiry to be made respecting it. The 67 pigs which were slaughtered by order of one of the Board's Inspectors were killed, not because they were diseased but because they had been exposed to infection, and as a matter of fact none of them showed any signs of illness. Fifteen of the pigs were found to be fit for the butcher and were dressed accordingly, but on a further examination prior to the consignment of the carcasses for sale, six of them were found to be somewhat discoloured and these were accordingly withdrawn and subsequently buried. Discolouration frequently arises from ordinary causes, and there is no evidence whatever that in this case it was due to the presence of swine fever. Under the Board's regulations the most stringent precautions are taken with a view to prevent meat unfit for human food from being consigned for sale, and in the case in question the carcasses sold were examined by a butcher on two successive days, and were subsequently passed as sound by the sanitary inspector and the meat salesman on arrival at their destination.