HC Deb 06 April 1903 vol 120 c1117
MR. O'MARA

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that outbreaks of trichinosis among swine have lately taken place in Denmark and Holland; that bacon and pork from these countries have lately been condemned in Smithfield market as unfit for human food; and will he say whether he has any reports as to the danger of trichinæ in bacon to the public health; and what steps, if any, he proposes to take to prevent the importation of bacon infected with trichinæ into the United Kingdom.

MR. HANBURY

The last case of trichinosis in swine in Holland as to which we have any information occurred in 1900. We have observed no reports of the existence of the disease in Denmark. Pork of Dutch and Danish origin has recently been condemned in Smithfield market as unfit for food, mainly on account of the presence of tuberculosis, but no case of trichinosis has been discovered in the City markets for the past twenty years, although a special microscopic examination is made for the detection of trichinæ. It rests, however, with the Local Government Board, and not with myself, to take any further steps which may be considered necessary for the protection of the public health from the danger to which the hon. Member refers. I may state, however, that no case of trichinosis has been observed in this country for at least sixteen years.