Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-05-27

THE RESULT OF A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION on
DERED by SECRETARY DLA1NE-THE ASrER1-
CAN HOG WELL FED AND HEALTHY, AND
AMERICAN LARD PURE.
In view of the recent action taken by the
French and other European Governments in
regard to American pork, as well as to be able
to correct by positive and personal evidence
the exaggerated reports which are published
in Europe concerning hog cholera and trichinm
among American swine, Secretary Blaine sent
the Chief Of the Bureau of Statistics of the
Department of State to Chicago and Cincin-
natl to investigate the entire question Of hog
raising and pork packing 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
raisers, buyers, shippers, packing houses,
stock yards, rendering establishments, health
offices and forwarding agents, and has now
submitted his report, which will Immediately
be published by the Department for circula-
ton in Europe.
The conclusions arrived at in this report
are az follows
l. That the swine of America are the best
and purest breeds and are fed and fattened
for market on corn. It is not believed that
swine are thus fed in any other country.
9 That the reports published in Europe
concerning the deaths of American hogs from
hog cholera are gross exaggerations.
3. That the percentage of deaths among
American swine from disease is no greater
than the percentage of deaths among Euro
pean swine from similar diseases.
L. That American hogs which have died
or may die of cholera or from any cause
whatever can have no relation to the meat
product Except to decrease it), rs such ami
mails cannot by any possibility pass the severe
scrutiny and inspection to which hogs destin-
ed for killing and curing are subject; that
even if it were possible to pass such inspec-
ton, no art of the ourer could convert such
animals into meat which could pass the in
spection-in the words of a leading curer-
''even of blind man."
D. That the fears excited and fostered in
parts of Europe by interested persons that
any portion of hogs which have died or may
die of cholera or from any other cause is or
can be converted into merchantable lard are
founded on the grossest ignorance for mer-
charitable lard cannot be producedfrom such
dead animals.
6. That every pound of product rendered
from diseased hogs except that part used as a
white grease or dead hogs grease" and
sold as such, largely to soap manufacturers !;
and that its color and odor preclude it from
being mistaken for lard
7. That the same care is taken in the
handling and manufacture of American lard
which is taken in the handling and curing of
American meats and that as the corn-fed
Americana ogis the cleanest of its species any
where, it il undeniable that American lard is
the purest lard in any market
s. That the percentage of American hogs
| infected with trichine-though this question
| is thus far largely one of supposition-is in
all probability, by reason of the superiority
of the breed and feed, much less than thai
| among the hogs in any other country.
| Q. That the freedom from trichinosis Of
the two great pork-consuming centres of the
| West Chicago and Cincinnati furnishes the
strongest possible evidence Of the purity Of
| American pork. In Chicago for a series Of
years, in which 40 900 deaths were reported
with their causes, only two cases of trichinosii
were reported. In Cincinnati during thu
same period not one case was reported.
10. That the reported cases of trichinosi
have resulted from eating uncooked meat
shown to be inferior or rejected, and tina
thorough cooking entirely destroys this para
site and removes all danger in this regard from
eating pork.
IL. That the selection, inspection and kill
ing of American hogs and the subsequen
handling and curing of the meat are not sur
passed, if at all equalled, for care, precision
and understanding by the packers or meat
curers of any other country.
II. That as rule the hogs selected TO
foreign trade are in all respects equal to tn
very best disposed of in our home market.
ID. That the great exaggerations SO IL
| dustriOuslV spread in regard to diseased Dor
have been aided by the different signifies
tons attached to the word ''pig." In Europ
it is used as the synonym of hog, whereas
America it means the young swine under 81
months, and generally refers to those only
few weeks old. The number of pigs" Thu
die from various causes compared with th
number of ''hogs'' that die is very large an
grossly erroneous conclusions are formed b
confounding the two words.