St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-18
BIG JAW.
The Term Applies More to the Par
graphist than the Innocent
Bovine

For some time back the public press has
| been excited over the health and condition
of our locks and herds, and many months
ago the GLOBE showed the necessity of the
appoin tment of a competent inspector Of
meat right here in St. Paul. At the time
alluded to it was plainly shown that our
! citizens had not so much to fear from the
| importation of diseased cattle as diseased
meat. 1t was demonstrated that from the
very surroundings of the stock yards that the
sale of diseased cattle could hardly be carried
on extensively, and that the butchers them
| selves were interested in purchasing healthy,
well conditioned animals. 1t is true there
are always some men who are willing
| to risk reputation and even liberty
for more than honest legitimate gain and
hence considerable quantities of meat were
shipped here and sold from the districts
| which were known to be suffering from cat
! tie disease. At the time when Texas fever
and foot and mouth disease we're driving
whole herds of cattle TO the slaughter houses
in Kansas City and to the Chicago markets,
| to the former the diseased ones and to the
latter those which could pass inspection but
which might be stricken down at any mo-
ment. At this time it was proved that no
! disease existed in the northwestern Mon
tana, Dakota or Minnesota. But lattery
the matter has come up again and
more seriously so far as the
northwest is concerned Tor
now our own herds are more than suspected
and actually charged with being afflicted.
The charge comes from our neighbors across
the border who have laid an embargo upon
cattle from the states on account of disease.
But the GLOBE does not and never did be-
Iieve that disease exists to any extent
| in these northern regions among
cattle. There will be an occasional
instance of big jaw and ''swelled head"
and now and then an animal when slaught-
cred and dressed will disclose flesh tumors,
hence Che necessity of inspector. But,
| infectious disease certainly does not exist in
this district. The GLOBE has member of
its staff visit the stock yards daily, who is as
! good a Judge of cattle as most people, and
who would detect foot and mouth disease
and most ether epidemics in a moment, and
! if there had been any such he would
have reported them after his inspec.
ton of the yards. On one occasion
he thought he noticed signs of
foot disease in an Iowa steer, but there was
no drihbing from the mouth and on close
| inspection it was found that the tenderness
of the foot arose from injury.
But to make surety doubly sure, yesterday
| GLOBE reporter was detailed to make an
investigation and interview all persons
around the stock yards likely to be able tC
give any information on the subject The
| result was confrmatorY of the position taken
by the GLOBE that no epidemic exists in the
| districts from which the cattle are shipped
o. dnarily into this market.
Superintendent Sullivan, of the stock
yards, Messrs. Cunningham and Haas, Mr..
Robins, Mr.. Kent, Mr.. Laley, and number
of others who certainly know, for they are
daily at the yards and critically scrutinize the
cattle there every day, and they are honora-
bic reliable men, add to them Inspector
| Cole and they all confirm the opn-
| ion expressed months ago by the GLOBE. The
| facts gathered were these: Out OF 80, 600 Mon
| tana steers shipped into these yards not more
than half dozen, certainly not
over ten were suffering from big jaw or
any other disease. That superintendent
Sullivan permits no diseased animal to be
removed from the yards to the abattoirs.
Animals with big jaw or any other disease
shipped in have to be shipped out again as
! they came in, by the cars. Montana cattle
sold in the yards have realized better prices
than native stock, which shows that
condition. As instances the following recent
sales are given: $50 head Montana steers at
81 30: 100 head Montana cows and heifers,
S4.I21%; go cows and heifers, 81. 1919; 80 at
SO. rs: 20 at 81. 80. 1t will be seen that these
prices are higher than native stock, Mime
sofa steers selling from 1915 to 81. 10; COVE
and heifers from SO to 1926. The only oc-
cassion in which diseased cattle were re-
moved from the yard was the time when
Saunders had the ''big jaws" slaughtered,
and these he removed surreptitiously from
! the yards.
There is no doubt that an unsound animal
occasionally finds its way into the yards.
For instance, only short time since GER
tain scaper bought fat hog suffering from
measles and took it over to the abattoirs and
asked to have it slaughtered and dressed, and
| Mr.. Perkins refused TO have anything to do
with it. 1t was finally slaughtered and sent
| to the rendering works. Every
body at the stock yards think
that the appointment Of good, honest and
/ competent inspector Of cattle and meat
would be an excellent thing, but they are
also unanimous in the opinion that any one
except a practical butcher, veterinary sur
| geon OF good standing. or experienced ex-
pert would be worse than useless.
An Inquest on Monday.
DR.. Hurst, who is acting as coroner, in
faDdad IN hold on yasfa-,Io,