St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-07
ST. PAUL NEWS.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
How it is Endangered in the Sale OF
Diseased Meat and Cattle.
A Committee Appointed to Confer With the
Board of Health on the Subject.


While no action was taken yesterday
morning, at the meeting of the board OF d.
rectors of the Chamber of Commerce, on
any matter, that will have any definite and
immediate result, discussion occurred that
will, in all probability, ultimately result IN
something of vast Importance to st. Paul.
The subject referred to is
DISEASED CATTLE.
DIR. Day called the attention of the mem
bers of the board TO the fact that there was a
great ID deal of danger that the
people of St. Paul would
have palmed off upon them meat that was
diseased, especially that of beef cattle. Large
numbers of these cattle are being transported
through St Paul from Montana to eastern
points. 1t is well known that the law re-
quires that these cattle shall be taken out OF
the cars and watered and fed every two or
three hundred miles. Fargo is the next
point west from St. Paul and st. Paul is the
last point west of Chicago where the cattle
are all removed from the cars and watered
and fed. The very act of travelling on the
ears such a long distance worries the
animals and makes them feverish and sick,
and if killed in that condition the meat is
not fit to be eaten and will certainly produce
disease in human beings who use it. Always
when the cattle arrive at point where they
are to be taken off the cars and watered and
fed, there are some of the animals that will
not get off the cars. They are sick when
they arrive at the point referred to, like Fargo
and st. Paul, and the only way to get them
off is to pull them off with ropes. Now, if
teese animals are slaughtered in this condi-
ton they are full of disease.
There was great danger that
these animals would be dropped
along the road at these stopping
places like ST. Paul, and in mis- judgment it
was necessary to exercise very great care in
preventing this result.
Mr.. Hodgson, from the committee on
health, was very glad to see that what the
health committee had been talking about
for several months had at last had some
effect. He was glad TO hear DIR. Day state
such views as ne had 1t showed that some
good had been accomplished. The fact
about it is, Mr.. Hodgson said those men who
import cattle know that when the cattle ar
rive in Chicago they are subjected
to very rigid examination and
if any Of them are diseased they are rejected
at once and are of course a dead loss to the
owner. Ills causes them to dispose Of their
sick cattle at Fargo or st. Paul, principally
at ST. Paul, as that is the last stopping place
Def IRE they reach Chicago. The result is,
therefore, practically, that all the sick cattle
are left here, or, at least, large portion OF
them. This is precisely what should be
stopped.
Mr.. Murray stated that there was great
difficulty about the matter, and before il
could be arranged satisfactorily it would
be necessary to have legislation
that would enable the city to hire compel
ent man and pay him suitable salary, to &c
out to the stockyards and devote his time and
attention to it. He related the particulars OF
q case before the court only a few days age
where a man was arrested for selling meat
from an animal thvt had ''lumpy-iaw." In
that case FIVE reputable butchers testified that
the meat was good healthy meat, and that
nothing was the matter with it. Yet the
cattle had Jumps on the jaw six or eight
inches in diameter.
DR.. Day explained what 'lumpy jaw'' is.
unless the cancer germ was killed by cook
ing it would he transferred to the human
being who should eat Of the flesh. All OF
which con stitutes pleasant sort of a state
ment for the consideration OF those who eat
beef.
These pleasant bits of information created
considerable interest. and caused the mem
beers of the chamber to think pretty seriously
about handling the subject. All appeared &c
be of the opinion that something should be
done, and that too Immediately.
Mr. Drscoll thought it was matter that
demanded the attention of the authorities OF
both cities, and he suggested conference.
Mr.. Moves thought we ought to go right al
1t at once. There was no time to be lost. Il
is vital matter
Mr.. L. F. Drake made statement of wha
he INV while he was abroad. and of the pre-
cautions tak9n TO secure wholesome beef
He urged that the council should take holC
OF the subject and insist upon the
cattle being inspected before they wer,
slaughtered. He also urged tina
a person selling diseased mea
should be subjected TO heavy fine and tina
he should have his licence revoked and for
ever
The above presents an outline of the mair
points OF the discussion. The subject wa
referred to special committee, consisting o
Mr.. McClung, DR.. Day, Gen. Averill, Muir
ray and Hodgsou, with instructions to con
slider the whole matter, visit the board o
health, which was 10 meet yesterday after
noon, and the city council, which holds
regular meeting tonight.
The board then adjourned.