Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1883-07-21
[GT0r1 @TELLIaEc1OE aATURDAY. july 81, 1883.
The Meat We Eat.

The Meat We Eat.
A subject which the ~Iatelllgencer spoil
of pretty plainly a year ago has aga
been brought to its attention. There is lou
complaint from some of u best citizen
men of family and position, regarding Il
manner in which some of our city butcher
keep their beeves and sheep for days befol
butchering them. For instance, alta slapgf
ter pen where one beef or less is killedpt
day several will be purchased at a time an
turned into a dry lot, without shelter fro1
sun or rain, and suffered to remain there fc
days fighting flies, with little or no food, an
impure walcr or no water at all.
When W. printed this same complaint be
fore, the butchers generally claimed that the
fed and watered their cattle sufficiently. 7
satisfy ourselves on this point we have on tw
different days, this week, visited sone of tn
slaughter houses, at which we saw no rack
for hay, no corn about the premises, no shel
ter from the rays Of the broiling hot sun an,
inefficient arrangements for watering. II
one pen VIC saw-seyaral cattle, there for sew
eral days,and some of them there16o doubt to
day. We do not assert that tie cattle are no
fed at all, because food maybe, brought from
elsewhere, but that there are no evidences o
feeding about the lots was our observation
An employe at one Of the pens told us that he
was expecting some corr to feed with on the
evening that we visited the place. He sale
he kept corn in the slaughter house. When
upon examination no corn crib was found he
said his corn crib was a sack. We make this
article impersona1 because what we desire
to accomplish is to secure a reform, not to do
anyone an injury, and especially not to accuse
anyone wrongfully: The animals meg be
properly fed, but if so, it is not lone in such q
way that the public observes 1t, and as q mat
ter of fact observant persons do not believe
that it isrdone. This is not . matter Of pri-
vate business. It is a question of public In
terest, involving the health of the community.
At a time when cholera is Staying hundreds
of people daily in Egypt, which by reason of
increased facilities for travel is now closer,to
us than Dover and Calais were In 1s49, It be-
hooves us to carefully consider sanitary reg
uIalions. In order to supplement our "
opinion upon this point we have Interviewed
the following named physicians, the ques-
ton asked each of them being; doctor,
what would be the effect upon an; animal in:
tended for human food, Of keeping it several
days in an open lot, without shelter from the
and without food OF water.T' The re-
plies we give below .
DR.. P.S. Fulkerson:-"Such ANIMALS would,
certainly not be in condition to make good
beef. They would be more or less 1everisb.
The beet, it seems to me, would, not be fit to
Fat" The doctor then expressed himself
pretty freely regarding the price OF beef in
this market relatively to its quality. 4.
DR.. T. H. Chambers .said:-t.Well, they,
might not be exactly diseased; but they you'd
not be in fit condition for human food.n DR..
Chambers also had something to say Of the
price and quality of beef sold In this market.
DR.. j. r.. straughan said:-ssuch animals
nearly if not quite stopped. They would be
q pretty much the same condition that q man
would be in under like circumstances, Their
lesh would be unwholesome."9
DR.. T. L. Bolton said:.HSuch animals
would be in a fevered and unhealthy condi-
ion, maybe not amounting to disease, but
till in a condition that would in my opinion
their flesh unfit for human food. Ma
urally so, for they require food and water
laily in order to nourish and keep up the
Hood, muscles and nerves. Take a man and
tut him in the sun that way with insufficient
r improper food and we all know what |
would be the consequences. OF course the
'rute might stand il. better, but relatively the
fleet would be the same.' |
Dr.. Russell said:-"Such treatment would
'roduce inflammation The secretions would |
re interfered with. The juices of the stomach
would act upon the stomach itself, it being |
evoid Of food. The fats and the blood would |
apidly degenerate, the muscles waste and the
ervous system, though last affected, would
e attacked. The condition of the animal
'ould be abnormal, unhealthy. Its flesh
7ould be unfit for food. Animals should be
I the highest state of health when their flesh
converted into human food. Let q man
1bmit himself to the conditions named and
e will soon realize what will be the. effect.
insanity would almost surely ensue from the
of sun and starvation"
Dr. B. Alexander said:-"Beef from such
nimals ought not to he eaten. 1t is unwhole-
'me. The animalI Is not in a state of perfect
ealth. When cholera threatens our country
leh practices would be more honored in the
reach thar in the observance" The doctor
ated that the practices complained of had
zen observed for q long time.
There are very plain laws governing this
after.
Section 1857, Revised Statutes, is in these
ords:-'Every person who shall knowingly
III the flesh of any animal dying otherwise
ian by slaughter, or slaughtered when dis
sed, or shall sell the flesh Is of one animal,
lowing it to be that of another species, or !
lall sell unwholesome bread or drink with
It making the same fully known to the pur-
laser; and any butcher or other person who {
all sell or offer to sell the meat Of any calf
hich was killed before it had attained to the {
e of six weeks, shall be deemed guilty of a {
lsdemeanor."
Section 1909 is as fellowship any person t
all torture, torment, deprive of Necessary sus-
rance, cruelty beat, mutilate, cruelty kill or t
erdrive any domestic animal, or shall UNI t
cessarily fail to provide the same with @
oper food, drink, shelter or protection from o
weather. or shall cruelty drive or work.
same when unfit for labor, or cruelty Il
the same to die, or shall carry or +
use the same to be carried on any vehicle ii
otherwise, in an unnecessarily cruel and t.
human manner, he shall be deemed guilty d
q misdemeanor." Il
1910 is even more to the point, It
's:-"Failing to furnish food-If any per- I
shall impound or %conine, or cause to be Il
pounded or confined in any pound or other d
zee, any creature, and fail to supply the u
ne during such confinement, with q sufi- is
mt quantity OF food and water, he shall be 81
smed guilty of q misdemeanor." o.
dlsdemeanors are crimes punishable by Il
and imprisonment in the county Jail. Of
The lntelligencer is satisfied that there is Il
ne ground for the complaints made. In d
Instance at least it believes these laws are tc
lated. Others think they are even more n