Public Health Act 1875

UNSOUND MEAT, &C.

116 Power of medical officer of health to inspect meat, &c.

Any medical officer of health or inspector of nuisances may at all reasonable times inspect and examine any animal carcase meat poultry game flesh fish fruit vegetables corn bread flour or milk exposed for sale, or deposited in any place for the purpose of sale, or of preparation for sale, and intended for the food of man, the proof that the same was not exposed or deposited for any such purpose, or was not intended for the food of man, resting with the party charged ; and if any such animal carcase meat poultry game flesh fish fruit vegetables corn bread flour or milk appears to such medical officer or inspector to be diseased or unsound or unwholesome or unfit for the food of man, he may seize and carry away the same himself or by an assistant, in order to have the same dealt with by a justice.

117 Power of justice to order destruction of unsound meat, &c.

If it appears to the justice that any animal carcase meat poultry game flesh fish fruit vegetables corn bread flour or milk so seized is diseased or unsound or unwholesome or unfit for the food of man, he shall condemn the same, and order it to be destroyed or so disposed of as to prevent it from being exposed for sale or used for the food of man ; and the person to whom the same belongs or did belong at the time of exposure for sale, or in whose possession or on whose premises the same was found, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds for every animal carcase or fish or piece of meat flesh or fish, or any poultry or game, or for the parcel of fruit vegetables corn bread or flour or for the milk so condemned, or, at the discretion of the justice, without the infliction of a fine, to imprisonment for a term of not more than three

The justice who, under this section, is empowered to convict the offender may be either the justice who may have ordered the article to be disposed of or destroyed, or any other justice having jurisdiction in the place.

118 Penalty for hindering officer from inspecting meat, &c.

Any person who in any manner prevents any medical officer of health or inspector of nuisances from entering any premises and inspecting any animal carcase meat poultry game flesh fish fruit vegetables corn bread flour or milk exposed or deposited for the purpose of sale, or of preparation for sale, and intended for the food of man, or who obstructs or impedes any such medical officer or inspector or his assistant, "when carrying into execution the provisions of this Act, shall he liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds.

119 Search warrant may be granted by a justice.

On complaint made on oath by a medical officer of health, or by an inspector of nuisances, or other officer of a local authority, any justice may grant a warrant to any such officer to enter any building or part of a building in which such officer has reason for believing that there is kept or concealed any animal carcase meat poultry game flesh fish fruit vegetables corn bread flour or milk which is intended for sale for the food of man, and is diseased unsound or unwholesome, or unfit for the food of man , and to search for seize and carry away any such animal or other article in order to have the same dealt with by a justice under the provisions of this Act.

Any person who obstructs any such officer in the performance of his duty under such warrant shall, in addition to any other punishment to which he may be subject, be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds.