§ MR. FIELDI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the determination of the existence of tuberculosis, anthrax, glanders, pleuro-pneumonia, and many other infectious diseases of cattle is made by microscopic examination, with or without the addition of biological or bacteriological tests, and is therefore practically the same method of examination as is usually employed by public analysts in detecting adulteration in pepper, mustard and various other articles examined under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, which are not chemically tested when examined for adulteration; and whether he will issue instructions that in all such cases where microscopic examination is the essential means of detecting disease the meat trader whose meat has been seized as being unfit for food shall be informed of the exact nature of the disease the carcase is alleged to have suffered from, so that he may know definitely the charge against which he has to defend himself.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WALTER LONG, Bristol, S.)I am not aware that the methods of detection of tuberculosis and other diseases in carcases of cattle are practically the same as those employed for detecting adulteration in articles of the kind referred to in the question. I could not undertake to issue any such instructions as are desired by the hon. Member, even assuming that I have the power to do so.