The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-03-14
The Commission on Pork.

The Commission appointed to inves-
tigate the industries relating to Ame.
rican hogs has finished the task assign
ed to it The report is signed by Mr.,
George B. Loring, chairman of the
Board Mr.. E. w. Blatchford, cf
Chicago Professor Chandler, of New
York DR.. d. E Salmon, of the De-
partmcnt of Agriculture, and Mr.. F.
d. Curtis of New York. The mem
bers of the Commission appear to have
done their work very thoroughly, hav
ing pursued their inquiries into the
origin and history of hogs which make
up the market supply, their condition
on farms, the methods of management,
transporting, treatment at stock-yards,
manner of slaughtering, curing, pack
Ing, handling and shipping of pork
products, the effect and extent of hog
disease necessary preventive measures
and effect of curing process on trichinae.
The methods of breeding and rearing
and fattening of swine in the great
hog producing regions are elaborately
set forth, and the report is emphatic
that there is no condition surrounding
the industry which tends to propagate
disease or render pork unhealthful. 1t
finds the number of hogs raised annual
ly to be about thirty millions, making
total of cured meats, lard and other
products of APPS, 100000 pounds.
From returns from railroad and
transportation companies, slaughter
houses, packers and shippers, confirmed
by those from boards of health, hu-
name societies and experts employed
by the Commission, it appears that the
utmost care is preserved throughout !;
that hogs which die of disease are never
transported except to offal rendering
establishments that diseased hogs are
refused transportation that humane
laws and sanitary regulations exist at
all stock-yards, enforced by local in
spectors under penalty of fines, etc. +;
that rigid scrutiny is enjoined at all
slaughter that methods of
slaughter aud packing, qualities of
material used, inspection, etc, are re-
gulated by rules of chamb rs Of com
merce and of trade, aud constant care
is exercised to see that no unhealthful
means are employed in any branch.
OF the extent of diseases, preventive
measures and the effect of salt on tri-
chinae, the report is full of valuable
and interesting information. Even the
extremely small percentage of trichinia.
sis, as shown by the investigations of
the Agricultural Department, seems to
be largely removed by process of cur
ing. The degree of heat necessary
to render pork harmless is treated of at
| length.
The Commission deny that hog
cholera is dangerous to human health,
and assert the impossibility of curing
such meat even so as to deceive the
most superficial examiner. The report
points out the praclicability OF a micro
scopic inspection, if such is necessary
tn remove existing restrictions. The
| Commissioners state that their eXami-
nation proves our pork fully equal,
perhaps superior, to that of France or
Germany no general disease exists,
and the occasional presence of trichiuae
is comparatively unimportaut
This is certainly a very satisfactory
showing, Much of our corn is consum-
ed by hogs and thus made marketable /;
so much pork is used at home, and our
pork products make up so large share
of our exports, that it is absolutely es-
sential that the industry should he be-
| yond attack in all its branches. ~ y.
| Observer.