National Republican., 1884-03-03
AMERICAN SWINE PRODUCTS.
Letters from The President aud Secretary
OF state on This Subject.

or state On This SubJeCt'
Tho President transmitted to the house o
representatives on saturday the report of th
commission appointed to examine into tn,
condition Of swine products of this country
In his message of transmittal he says 9TH
yiows and conclusions Of the commission
deserve the most careful consideration O
congress to the end that, If any path b,
legitimately open for removing the prohibi
tlon which closes important foreign markets
TO those products. IL may DO followed anC
appropriate legislation devised.
81 earnestly recommend that congress pro
vide for rciinbursing the expenses incurre
by the commissioners in this praiseworthy
service, aud / should he glad also if som,
rcmuncratlve recognition of their public
spirited action in accepting the onerous aud
responsible duties imposed on them were
to suggest itself to congress. At all events
in view Of the conflicting theories touching
the origin aud propagation Of trichnosis and
the means Of oXtirpating IL among domestic
Swinc aud considering the important bearing
which precise knowledge on these point.
would have on the commercial aspects Of the
matter, recommend provision for special
research in this direction"
The secretary of state also transmits q
communication on the subject, in which lie
says; The report Is thorough and impartial
to degree which cannot fail to commend IL
to public consideration here and abroad"
lie says tho report shows conclusively that
hog cholera Is not present In meat packed for
human food, and in no event is tho diseGs Q
communicable to human beings.
AS to trichinOsis the report is less conclu-
sive, because less is certainly known of the
manner in which the living trichne or their
germs are transmitted. He advises further
Investigation OF this point. 1t is known,
hn hot h. .r. Il
ing and the time between the slaughter Of tho
animal and the consumption of the prepared
flesh abroad so diminish the vitality and pro-
pagative power of the triChing as to prevent
ITS development i'll the human body. No
single instance based on competent scientific
testimony can be adduced of trichinosis in
Europe arising from the use of American
packed swine products. In every single case
in Germany it has been found that the dis
ease Is traceable to the consumption of freshly
Killed native hogs, and that its virulence
diminishes with the lapse of time between
the killing and consumption of hogs.
In speaking OF the objections to the in
spection OF meat products, the secretary says
there does not seem to be any objection in
principle TO such inspection whenever it may
be required. When q government imposes
upon the importation of foreign products no
more restrictions than those imposed on ma
tive products, conformity with those condI-
tions is requisite and reasonable If home
inspection, with due certifcation will open
foreign markets for our swine products, it
will certainly pay the American exporter to
submit to inspection.
In conclusion, the secretary urges that con-
greSs shall pay the expenses incurred by the
commission, and also give compensation for
the time devoted by them to the subject. He
also recommends that an appropriation be
made to continue the investigation.