Day 094 - 01 Mar 95 - Page 27
1 A. That is correct.
2
3 MR. MORRIS: It used to be much greater numbers than that, did
4 it not, in the 80s?
5 A. That is correct.
6
7 Q. Do you happen to know, was it much larger, was it 10 times
8 as many in the 80s?
9 A. Oh, not in the 80s. It is difficult to go year after
10 year. The beef industry is very cyclical. It will depend
11 on the offer and the demand. There are years in which we
12 are forced to use more slaughterhouses or abattoirs because
13 there is not enough supplied so we have to go -----
14
15 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I think all Mr. Morris is asking if you pick
16 the 80s what do you think highest number of suppliers there
17 might have been, in so far as you with four years
18 experience can help us on it?
19 A. Probably 120, 100 to 120.
20
21 MR. MORRIS: We have a statement of George Rummel, do you know
22 George Rummel ---
23 A. Yes, I do.
24
25 Q. -- from McDonald's Corporation. I will just read out a
26 section of his statement: "In 1982 approximately 47 people
27 mostly in Michigan an Oregon, not all of whom had eaten at
28 McDonald's, were found to be infected with a previously
29 unknown strain of E. coli. The Centre for Disease Control
30 formed a statistical analysis of the outbreak and concluded
31 its research inferred numerical correlation between the
32 outbreak and McDonald's. McDonald's paid the medical bills
33 and related claims of these individuals as a means of
34 settling the matter to everyone's satisfaction. There was
35 never admission of liability on McDonald's part". You are
36 aware that McDonald's was responsible for this outbreak of
37 disease, yes?
38 A. You have just read ------
39
40 Q. In 1982?
41 A. You have just read the statement that it was never
42 proven to be direct responsibility. We never accepted
43 responsibility. It was never proven by a fact that we were
44 responsible for that. There was enough concern that we --
45 you just read the statement.
46
47 Q. Yes, but you are now the International Meat and Quality and
48 Purchasing, Manager or Director, sorry?
49 A. Excuse me?
50
51 Q. I am not exactly sure of your official position, I am
52 sorry?
53 A. Manager.
54
55 Q. So, have you read the official investigation into that
56 E.coli ---
57 A. No, I have not.
58
59 Q. -- outbreak. You have not?
60 A. No.
