, 1874-06-07
Dissertation on Calves and
Bruised and Gripple>il
Cattle.
Instances of Diseased Meat
Seized.
What the Meat Inspector Has to Say
on the Subject.
Ignorance Of Consignors.

and chcapncss, It is Chicago. Lying rs sh
docs in the midst e,f the greatest and mos
fertile tract of fft ming country in the world
both cereals and meats OF the best Quat
should bo ayailabF at all times in her markere
| As far as tho for1u er are concerned, no one ha
ever been heard 10 complain but. with regar
to tho latter, ce' npaints have lately arisen espe
clally with rega'. ID to the quality OF some of tn
| veal which IL offered for sale at some OF th
| butcher-shoPs.- Ir view Of the importance 0
| the subject, + TRIBUNE reporter WAS sent Frida
to investigate the means taken BY the city t.
insure proper inspection OF the animal-foot
| which ie brought into this city for the nourish
ment OF its b alf- million Inhabitants. Tho hrB
person called upon by the reporter WAS
DIR. ZEN c. MILLER,
SANITARY Superintendent. This gentleman Al
once stated it us his belief that the average
quality OF animalfood which was consumed
IN ChicaG WAS not nearly as good as it ought tt
be, and Ire thought that sufficient men we're mol
placed et the disposal Of the Board of Health to
insure the thorough inspection which Was re-
CURED The reporter opened upon
THE VEAL QUESTION,
as t'ro most appropriate to this season Of the
year. NTH '4What do rou think OF veal As 3
nut : ltious and healthy food 2"
'I,r. 31il|er--veal ranks high as food, and ie
ceSg digested, but it should be fat, and the calf
ola enough for the tissues to attain eolidity.
ReporLer-At What age Will the flesh Of q calf
s.ttaiu this sol1dity7
Dr.. Muler-As rule q calf should be about
three weeks old before it is killed. At from nine-
I teen to tweuty-one days old the calf cuts it's in
| cisor teeth their presence, rather than the
size Of the animal, should be the test OF age, as
| have seen calves OF two weeks which were bet
| ter developed than othefs Of three.
| RnDnrtar-Nb4t an0rfH ca1f raady fnr marriott
| weigh at three weeks old?
| Dr. Miller-Not lesa than from IS to IS pounds
| coSDE,rS1Sa VEAL
Reporter-1n condsmning vcal what is the
| principal reason Of the inspector?
Dr.. Millcr-0ur inspector le practical butcher,
| and almost all OF the veal condemned by him il
on account Of carly ago and lack If the proper
elements Of nutrition rather than on account of
| being diseased.
| Reporter-Where do these calves como from
| DR.. Miler-The majority come from the large
| dairy farms west and northwest OF the city
from Darlington, Elgin Elk Grove, Aurora, Ma
| pervil1e, HinBdale, etc.
| Reporter-What is tho object Of these dairy
men in killing calves At so early an age that
many Of them are obliged to be condemned a.
! unfit food3
Dr.. Miller-The milk OF the COW Is moro valid
| able to the dairyman than the calf. The great
object OF deiryuen, when the calf arrives is to
get 1t out of the way as soon possible; aud
hence when it seems big enough to pass muster
at the butchers shop, its throat is cut and the
carcass sent into town for sale.
Reporter-Well, you have shown plainly that
the temptations to fill our markets with OYER
young veal are pretty strong. but how about
TIE LAn0En CATTLE?
First Of all, how are the cattle killed that supply
the Chicago market
DR.. AIiller-First they arc brought to the
Stock-Yards, and arc there sold to butchers, who
drive them to tho different slaughter houses in
Bridgeport and the Town Of Lake to be killed.
Reporter-Who does the killing, the butcher
or tho owner OF the slaughteE-houso
Dr.. Miller-They are killed, as rule. by the
butcher. the owner Of tho siaughter-house re-
cciving recompense the ofal-eyerything, in
fact, but the CARCASS proper, which is sold by the
butcher.
Reporter-Is this all the owner Of the slaugh-
ter-houso gets for the use Of his place?
DR.. MiIler-I think not. OF 1ator years tho
calves that are cut from COWS belong to the
house.
Reportc5-whatare are done with such miniature
Dr. Mi1lor-Thcy are supposed to be rendered
n the tanks.
HORRORS OF THE PAST.
Reporter-You say OF later years. what was
done in former ye.rs with such calves as were
brough INTO the world by the Cnsareau opera
tion?
DR.. Ailler-I hare been credibly informed
that they have, where calf Was well maturcd,
washed it OF, taken it to the butchers ahopo,
skinned and sold it for veal.
Reporter-Has that been the practice OF late
yearf?
DR.. Millor-No. It has not, Icannot tell the
exact time that the slaughter-houses added such
calves to their perquisite for use Of tho house.
do not know the name of anybody who has
sold such veal, but my information in the mat
ter came from = party engaged in the business
whom consider reliable.
cows WITH CALF.
Rcporter-Woud you consider tho moat of 4
COW with calf good fOod2
Dr.. Mller-H the COW was at all fcTerish. I
would not, neither should like to eat 1t mysolf,
whether the COW we're fererish or not.
Reporter-Are many cows killed TINT are with
calf?
DR.. Ailler-A certain number. Just how many
I do not know.
Reporter-Has tho meat-inspector orders
from the Board to condemn the meat Of COWS |
which are slaughtered while with calf?
Or. Mi1lcr-No. He has no special directions
to that effect, but il the COW is not we'll fatted.
or is feTerlsh, he is expected to condemn her. !
Our mcat-lnspector is q professional butcher, |
and, as far as possible, is expected to condemn !
everything unwholesome !
CRIPPLED CATTLE.
Roportor-Are cattle ever killed and offered
for sale that have been crippled coming in On the
carH?
Dr.. Mil1er-such cattle are often killed, but
when ne can ascertain the fact they are con-
demued as such meat is unfit for food It Ii
generally bruised, parts Of it blood-shor and tha
animal is generally very fererish.
Repo1ter-Do you think any such meat gets |
past our inspector and is consumed in the city? |
DR.. Miller-Yes, for one man cannot inspect IS
it should be done, oue-third Of the meat that is
sold daily in the City OF Chicago and it would be
very easy for \ butcher to cut OF the worst
bruised pieces, and sell the rest in his shop. I
have no doubt that this is frequently done. I
know Of one instance in wbich DR.. atannhe1mer,
one Of our medical inspectors, condemned =
number OF carcasses of diseased meat. and WAS
assured that it would not be offered for aale, |
(this was during the Texas cattle-disease.) He
left tho slaughter-houEo, but kept watch on the
meat, and followed it to North Kinzio street,
where the commission houses woro located be-
fore the fire, and seize thres trucK-loads Of it.
It this meat was brought uptown aud offered
for sale almost under the eyes OF m inspector,
what would it be when they could not be fol-
lowed up so closely?
OWNERS OF TIE sLAUGHTER-RoUsEs. |
Repo1ter-Are the owners Of the slaughter
houses cognizant Of such doines7
DR.. Milter-I have been informed by the own
ers OF several houses where stock is killed for
city use, that meat was put upon the market
3n;f %1n%r / Mac