New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-16
REPORT UPON AMERICAN PORK.

TIE RESULT OF THOROUGH INVESTIGATION Or
pzRED BY SECRETARY BLMNE-rrIE AMERICAN
HOG WELL FED AND HEALTHY, AND AMERICAN
LARD PURE.
WASHINGTON May 15.-1n view Of the recent ac-
ton taken by tie French and other European Gov
ernnents in regard to American pork, as well as to
be able to correct by positive and personal evidence
the exaggerated reports which are published III Eu-
rope concerning hog-cholcra and trichne among
American swine Secretary Blaine sent the Chief Of
the Bureau of Statistics ofthe Department of State TO
Chicago and Cincinnati, to investigate tho entire
question of bog-raising and pork k-pack.ng in the
West in all its phases from the farm to the ship"
In accordance with the Secretary's instructions
this gentleman visited representative hOg-raiscrs
buyers, shippers, packing houses, stock yards, rem
dering establishments, health offices aud forwarding
agents, and has now submitted his report, which
will immediately be published by the Department
for circulation in Europe.
The conclusions arrived at in this report are as
fcllows
J. That the swine OF America the best and purcst
breeds aud fed and faiened Tor market corn 1t
Is not believed that swine are thus fed In any other
country.
the deaths OF American hogs from hog cholera are gross
3 That the percentage OF deaths among American
swine from disease greater than the percentage Of
deaths among European swine from similar diseases
cholera from cause whatever can have no relation
to the meat product oXcep 90 decrease ~ as such ant
mails cannot by possibility pass the severe scrutiny
and inspection to which hogs destined FOR killing and
curing are subject that even # were possible to pass
such inspection, art Of the could convert such
animals into meat which could pass the iuspccuOn-in
the words OF leading onrer-" even Of a blind man
5. That the fears excited and fOstered IN parts Of
Europe by interested persons that any portion Of hogs
which have died or ay die OF cholera from any other
Ia can be ertcd INTO merchantabc lard
founded the grossest Ignorance, for merchantable
lard cannot be produced from such dead animals
That every pound OF the product rendered from dis
eased hogs, except that part used as fertilizer is
plainly marked "brOwn grease" white grease or
dead hogs grease" and sold SUCH largely To soap
and that It's color and odOr preclude IL
Z. That the same care s taken in the handling and
manufacture Of American lard which is taken In the
oornied American hog Is the cleanest species any
where II undeniabe that American lard Is the purest
That the percentage OF American hogs infected with
supposition-sn In all PROBABILITY by reason of ire snpc
rOfty OF the breed and feed much less that among
o. That the freedom from tchuosis Of the two great
porkconsunlng centres OF the West, Chicago and Gin
cinnat furnishes the strongest possible evidence of the
purity OF American pork In Chicago for Of years
In which 40 900 deaths reported with their causes
only two eases OF tricDosis reported In Clncin
natl during the same period not one reD0rted
sud from eating uneooked meat shown To be inferior
rejected and that thorough cooking entirely destroys
this parasite and removes all danger In this regard
IL That the selection inspection and killing OF Aneri-
can hogs aud the subsequent handling and curing the
neat are not surpassed IL ut all equaod for care pre-
cion and understanding by the packers or meacurers
~ That as rule the hogs selected for foreign trade
are 10 oil respects equal u the yerJ best disposed of In
our hoine market.
Is. That the great exaegerations indusiriously
spread In regard to diseased pork have been aided by the
Different signiheatlOns attached to the word "pig In
Europe Il is used the synonym Of hog, whereas Ia
America 1t means the young swine under six months
snd generally refers 70 those only few weeks old The
namter OF "pigs that die from various causes cOtn
pared with the number Of hogs that die Is very large
aud grossly erroneous conclusions formed by
io0a1JnS the two words.