Day 081 - 31 Jan 95 - Page 51


     
     1        I do not make a study of that area so I am not -----
     2
     3   Q.   In professional publications or, in general, reading
     4        publications?
     5        A.  Only in -- well, perhaps in both, but it was only from
     6        interest and not from a professional requirement.
     7
     8   MR. MORRIS:  But as an Environmental Health professional, you
     9        would have an opinion and have to be aware on their use of
    10        antibiotics in animals, would you not, because there are
    11        laws as to whether animals that have been treated with
    12        antibiotics can be slaughtered within a certain time for
    13        human consumption, are there not?
    14        A.  Why would I need to be aware of that?
    15
    16   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  He might have to be aware of it if there was
    17        some health risk involved, you see, but if there was no
    18        health risk involved he might not have to.
    19
    20   MR. MORRIS:  Is there not a rule that you cannot consume an
    21        animal that has been dosed with antibiotics 14 days before?
    22        A.  I believe there is but it is not something that
    23        I  -----
    24
    25   Q.   Do you know why there is that rule?
    26        A.  Well, presumably, so there is no carry over of
    27        antibiotics to the consumer, presumably.
    28
    29   Q.   I do not know if there are many further questions, really.
    30        We need to have a look.  Could you just explain -----
    31
    32   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I would just like to get a picture of your
    33        particular expertise.  It is Environmental Health ---
    34        A.  Yes.
    35
    36   Q.   -- particularly related to food?
    37        A.  Yes.
    38
    39   Q.   When you say "environmental health", do you mean food?
    40        A.  That includes food but in my particular case, for
    41        instance, the food premises rather than the actual food
    42        microbiology itself, and things like antibiotics are very
    43        much on the periphery of my interests.
    44
    45   Q.   So your particular expertise is in the premises which are
    46        concerned with the processing and consumption of food going
    47        back to the abattoir ---
    48        A.  Yes.
    49
    50   Q.   -- for instance?  You do not go back into the farm? 
    51        A.  No. 
    52 
    53   Q.   It is premises rather than microbiology, is it?
    54        A.  It is the way in which diseases are transmitted which,
    55        obviously, includes looking at the food itself, but I am
    56        looking at things like the critical points in the premises
    57        themselves, yes.
    58
    59   Q.   Is what you are saying, therefore, you have to know enough
    60        about certain organisms?

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