New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-01
THE MEAT OF BERLIN.
EVERY CARCASS MiCROSCOPICALLY EX-
AHMED.

fyRoM OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TIE ThiBONhI
Berlin, October 2.
Pruysa has often trod the path of Innovation
since the days of the Great Blector. and tho 10
stitution Of which ! am about TO write is tho type
and first of its kind. In accordance with the
Ministerial decree of January. 1888, the municlpsl
Slaughter aud Investigation Houses OF Berlin
sprang into activity tho following April. other
cities aud provinces have erected similar nsttu-
tions. and point with satisfaction TO bettered
state of public health
In a little suburb within easy reach Of the city
rises the structure, imposing not from its height.
but great extension. The mural inclosure Of sixty
acres and more. dotted with the numerous barns.
stables. shambles and Offices impresses the vistant
~ a red-brick hamIet-save for the pandemonium-
like chorus of grunts, bleats and bellowngs The
extreme cleanliness of everv corridor aud passage.
every sheep shed and stall, all the revolt
ing and uausoatiug scents that are natural con-
comitants of a butcheriug shop. Nor Is humanity
outraged at sight of the slaughter so humans Is It's
execution.
On the morning Of my first visit the long stalls
were filed with hundreds upon hundreds Of cattle
awaiting their purchasers. the respective drovers,
armed with their little bamboo canes, now In deep
consultation their different breeds or busiea~th
the handshake of concluded bargain. The prices
of the animals, might remark incidentally, greatly
surprised me. ordinary beasts bringing 700. ana
many as high as $3.50 and 5000. When stabieds
notice is Immediately given 70 the over surgeon
who sends his assistants to the preliminary ex-
animation. which is quite thorough. necessitat'ng
the instant removal of any animal found externally
or internally diseased. This entirely precludes the
killing of sick brutes; for meat for Berlin con-
sumption, of whatever kind is allowed to be
butchersd in any other place than this. Snug
TARA rad by yatArinary notice. who
have under their supervision the different shops,
where all meat must::bear the city stamp. Rarely
are mistakes made In these summary examinations.
The farriers are skilled and educated men, who
would evoke the wonder of Claude Bourgelet
could he arise from his grave, compelled to have
been sophonores in college before privileged to
study veterinary science. Their university course
10 on par with the others Of Germany, and AZ long
or longer than a medical one in America indcpend-
ent OF their superior preparation. The whols corps
of ten to twenty In the Berlin institute is under the
supervision of Dr. Hartwig, man OF eminehce IN
his profession, and bis lieutenant. DR.. bunker.
whose speciality, microscopic investigation, has
added many facts to science College students.
during their studies, are also leotured to here
weekly or daily with examples before their eyes in
preference to the dingy walls of the dissectng
room with some miserable carcass upon the table
Is *playbsll."
Animals which have favorably stood the inspec-
ton may be taken at the owners will to the sham
bles the other side of the grounds to meet their
fate But as already intmated. no one could sng-
gest more humane means than butchers are com
pelled to adopt. Steers are chained to the ground
by rings in the nose and almost from one blow lie
quverns in the throes of death, calves are drawn
by q pulley to perpendicular pasiton and dis
patched in the same way with rarely struggle or
. IL haIl ~
fls .hem with air, and the process OF skinning is
begun. Upon its completion, the entrals are re-
moved and the director is notified. After thor
ough microscopic investigation of the mouth.
breast stomach, pelvic cavity, intestnes. heart,
liver lungs aud spleen, providing all be pronounced
healthy, the meat is stamped and given to the
butcher. IT, the contrary. the farrier find 1t in
ured by disease or its vestige he placards 1t ac-
cordingly in a prominent part and reports to HE
,uperior. whose decree is final. When thus at
tested the carcass with ali its appartenances is de-
barred and surrendered to the veterinary police.
who prepare it for fertlizing purposes. The blood
of the killed ia purchased by fabrcant whose fac
tory is on tie place. to be turned by various pro-
cesses into manifold materials employed to enrich
the soil Pans are placed in every stall for its re-
ccption and cartsd off shortly after the slaughter to
prevent coagulaton.
Sheep fare similarly. the differences being too
slight to necessitate further particulars Bnt
naturally tn the swine, from which the German
psopls especially the lower classes. mainly derive
sheir subs sence in its various forms and prepara-
lions more exact information is due Subjected to
she same preliminary examination as the ottcr
animals they are driven to their particular
shainblas When dressed, notice is likewise seat
the director, and the prooftakers, of whom there
are thirty, appear upon the scens armed capa-pie
10 cut samples" FROM the diaphragm, stomach,
larynx and intercOstal muscles, generally supposed
30 be most liable to infection. The proofs are
placed in numbered tin boxes and carried to the
investigators" one hundred in number. working
In four divisions of four hours each. Thoy are
also men or women who have passed thorough OK
arination in anatomy and its kindred branches
and nave given their oaths to honest and cODscen-
tious labor Under the constant supervision OF the
superintsulent subject at any time to official
test and forced to attend the ectures Of Dr. Bunker
thsy may be deuOminated |" true as touch" The
proofs" are recorded in book kept for the pnr-
pose registering the muscles the time begun, and
the microscopic charged with their examination.
tue final entry of trichne free" or full" being
reserved till the rendering of the report. Recev-
ing his box, the examiner chips specimens, ten Gen.
timetsrs square, SIX OF each muscle. making twenty
four in all and prepares them for hIs scrutiny FOL
this purpose compress0rs have been lurh shed
consisting OF two glass blades marked OH into
twenty -four divisions. and provided with screws Al
either end. The meat, when placed between tiese.
Is hattened to q tIssue-like transparency. enabns
the microscope to rev n its contents with absolute
certainty. This operation lasts at least iifteet
minutes, q minimum in which experienced Oper
at.rs easily rerforI0 their duties, younger ones
naturally requiring greater interval. II healthy
and uutaintet the proof tlker orands the carcssse
as in the case OF tue cattle and sheep aud delivers
them TO the owners. Should trichihB any of tb
pests which Infest pork I've discovered, however
thew are nltnedatsl guaranteed and boiled in thu
lnyesti cation kitchen for tho fat, and the speci
mems preserved for the museum. The proofs
daily amounting to many pounds are bought rs
dealer foe $40 monthly to make soup for the poor
thus leaving nothing that 10 wasted or misised IL
the announcement bureau" an elaborate booi
Ia kept recording the names of the purchasers
hnicnsrs shanhles and all history appertalnin.