The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-09-26
Abattoirs and Sewage.

. Z
necessity of some remedy for the present
system Of sewage, which is greatly detrinen.
,al both to the health and comfort Of the In
| habitants, and an abomination to cirilIza-
ton.
Now, Baltimore is under great necessity.
She will be compelled to reform her system
OF sewage, and the moral influence OF the
forced introduction, of such an Improvement
will be to give to her people keen pereep-
| tions concerning the means for promoting
public comfort and health, and in that way
may induce Baltimore to be the first city to
introduce a public slaughter-house and in
| terdct all private establishments for killing
aud dressing animals for food. We trust
that she will take that high position before
The nation, and will be proud in that event
to award her our humble praise. r
We know that the public slaughter.house
has been introduced partially in Boston and
| New York; but we do not believe that they
have inaugurated that system with thorough
ness. Private slausbter.houses still send
| tUCil w IuOsC bipi nS'oI aho 40 iobS W"
that is permitted one Of the chief objects OF
the public slaughter-pens is defeated-Niz,
that of ensuring healthy .ftod for the con-
sumption Of the people.
The abattoir effects this object as far as it
can by human measures be carried out. As
| long as the killing of animals and their pre-
paration for MAJ ket is permitted to lie car
ried on without the supervision Of the pub.
| lie police, we cannot hope that the people
will be protected from the tricks of trade by
which diseased animals and animals in i'm
proper condition are imposed upon the ciri-
| zens of large towns. e...1. s.s~"
There are no two subjects that should now
so earnestly engage the attention of large
and dense populations as the two relating to
the food rctailed at the, public markets and
the sewage Of cities. The economy OF the
public slaughter-house secures healthy food
for the people, and it abates the nuisance oil
the numerous suburban private slaughter
pens with their widespread offence. These
slaughter pens, wherever they exist, impair
the value of suburban property and affect
both the health and comfort Of neighbour
hoods. Prohibit them and concentrate all
the business of killing and dressing food in
one well-regulated and wcll-poiced public
establishment, ardyou accomplish at once
the great ends Of abating dreadful nuisance
that oifends large populations and impairs the
value of much real estate, and you concen-
trate the business in place where it is con-
Quoted in the most clearly manner possible
and none but healthy and properly condi-
toned animals are killed, and place having
the auxiliaries of the tannefy, the glue fac
tory, and the several factories which utilize
The various parts of the olal from the bust
ness of butcheriDg. There, are the butchers
exchange and scales and business and social
intercourse Of the producers aud the butch
ers and everything. The whole economy Of
the calling is conducted to the satisfaction,
saving, and health and comfort of ali con.
cerned.
How much better for the so-called butcher
could be relieve himself from all the bust.
ness Of butchering and, Kidding himself of
the hands and, the labors and cares of butch.
ering his cattle, drive out to the aoattoir in
the morning, and get his dressed meat for
market! His meat would be prepared by
experts at the lowest possible cxpense-less
than that he incurs in conducting his own
slaughtering business-and his life would be
simplltied and quiet.
We cannot see one argument against the
public slaughter-house. 1t indeed prevents
the brutal frauds Of those who palm off dis
| eased and unhealthy meat upon the people,
and that is what the class OF butchers should
| for their own good standing desire to see
done. Humanity and civilization cry aloud
| against the savage scoundrelsm of slaught-
ering dying or dead animals for market.
Scarcely less outrageous is it to bring to mar
ket the carcase of an animal unhealthy and
| sick. The veterinary surgeon and the po-
| lice of the abattoir prevent all this.
The Jews teach US refned and civil ex.
ample in this matter. Their meats are killed
under inspection, and bear the mark of the
approval of the high official who makes the
inspection. Their object is to guard the
people against diseased and poisonous meat:
an object important alike to all classes.
We have associated the two suhjects-as
| they are kindred in some respects-of po-
Icing the preparation of food for the people
of cities and the disposal of the general
offal. II we look upon the rivers of the
! country we behold in reality the public sew
ers, in whose bosoms are borne the disjecta
of the populations which dwell upon their
shores. This is barbarous. It is of the
very essence of barbarism. 1t is the detiling
OF things really sacred so far as public com.
fort, public health, and public decency
could sanctify them in public respect. Each
town is the receiver through its water for
public use of the accumulated offence from
the populations above it.
This is abominable. For the protection
of all each should abstain from SO poliuting
the stream that passes by it. For the com.
fort and health Of all each should dispose of
its solid otial by utilizing it, to be returned
to the lands from which the crops that made
it We're taken, that they may be husbanded
and recruited, aud while becoming more
fruitfulana beneficial to the tlller Of the soil,
maintain q high capacity for yielding sup.
pest and sustenance to man.
B The rivers should be kept as pure as pos
sible fer the enjoyment and health and uses