The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-05-13
Inspecting Meats.

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death, or dying from disease Will,
en- route in cattle car from Alba.
ny, was purchased by a Bostor
butcher named Weitz; few days
since. and taken to slaughte,
house. After dressing the dead
animal, an employee of Weitz
named Temple, wiped the perspi
ration from his face with towel
which had been used in the dress
ing operations. Soon after small
pimple on his cheek showed signs
OF Inflammation, which extended
all over the mans body, causing
death in short time. At the in
vestigation held by the coroner's
ljury, Walker Watkins. owner of the
slaughter house testified that the
victim said to him, when dressing
the OK. that lit smelt very badly.
told him that / wouldn't dress
such a creature; be said he would
not for any other person. The
next day / saw quarter of beef
on the south side of Fanueil Hall
Market, in Weitz's wagon, which 1
would swear was a part of this OK.
Simon Sanderson, another butcher,
testified that he did not think there
were more than four or five butch
ers in Brighton who would dress
dead oxen. He thought every
butcher in town would carry to
market cattle infected with the
hoof and mouth disease. Charles
Nutter testified that he had known
dead oxen dressed and carried to
market with beef properly prepar-
ed. Charles Bohn testified that
one half the OK in question was ta-
ken to the market along with other
beef. He added, that during that
very week. bull, unable to walk,
was slaughtered in accordance with
Weitz's directions, and the meat
sold at prices ranging between
124 and 18 cents per pound. Mr..
Wild, a provision dealer, said he
was cognizant of the fact that large
quantities of bad meat were sold
in the market.
These are certainly very starr
ling disclosures to come from Bos-
ton, which city, above all o,ter
prides itself upon its sanitary reg
ulations. Assuming that there
are no further revelations-which
there will doubtless be many, now
that public attention has been
aroused--those already made must
occasion no little alarm amoup
Boston beef eaters. But bad as
are the developments, we have no
doubt that still worse phase of
affairs would be discovered in New
York, were a rigid scrutiny insti-
tuted. Casual observations made
by philantropists, like Mr.: Bergh
--have unearthed villainies among
the shambles ard swill milk estab-
lish nents, whose details are most
sickening and revolving to peruse.
Could the whole truth be known. it
wouln be found that there are many
butchers in this and adjoining cit
les, who are habitually addicted 10
the nefarious practices of which
tho wretch Weitz has been con-
victed.
The fact that warm weather ap-
proaches. lends Importance to the
consideration of this subject, and
it should command the attention
of those interested in the sanitary
condition OF all our cities We
know of no lneans SO efficaceous
for arresting the sale of damaged
meat as the establishment of a |
strict surveillance. The authorities
of New York, in conjunction with
the Board of Health, should take
the lead, and see to it that every
pound of meat consumed here is
first subjected to an examination. |
Ordinances providing for such in
spection. are enforced in all the |
Continental cities. No meat is al
lowed to be sold in Switzerland un. |
til it has been examined and certi-
fled to. Official inspectors are |
present at all the slaughter houses
in Austria. and carefully scrutizize
the flesh of every animal cut I'D. |
For selling meat which has not
been inspected, an offender is fined |
from rs to 200 forms. A second
offence insures doubling of the
penalty. If convicted third time
he is debarred from being a butch
ei; Furthermore, the certificates
issued to the butchers specify that |
fresh meat must be sold within
three days in summer, and four
days in winter. The Prussian
Govern mcnt provides an inspector
for every market, whose business
it is to detect and bring to punish
ment every dishonest meat dealer.
All suspicious cases are referred
to him, his stall being designated
by national flag Two years ago. T
in Bavaria, inspectors examined
aud divided into three classes, diff.
fering in value. all 10 eats designed
Tor consumption. We presume it
is the same now. Veterinary sar-
9 cons examine all animals in Ital-
ian slaughter houses before they
are killed, and classify the meat Us
irst and second quality. Much the
same system exists in Belgium.
and most excellent regulations
we're enforced in France up TO the
ate war with Prussia. In English
cities the inspections are less rig
orous than in some OF the cont
1ental countries. They, however
IRE carried on. thousands of ponnla