The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-22
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OA~A--N 49, ~'>-
CEIvNa STOCK.
ough preparation is made for tho in
spection of meat, especially for the
pork. One head physician, twelve as
sissant veterinary surgeons and four
teen stampers, together with one hum
dred and eighty microscopical workers
constitute the staff. When a hog is
killed the carcass is numbered. A por-
ton of the flesh is taken and placed in
vial similarly numbered. Thus the
flesh of each animal is carefully exam
ined by the microscopical expert for
the presence Of the dreaded t7schS,s0.
Each expert can examine only twenty
specimens day. The maximum num-
Der Of cercasses that can pass muster
daily is only $500. This is very slow
work, but it is far better to be slow in
such vital matters. Beeves are exam
ined also for lung and liver diseases.
After inspection the stampers put on
each carcass the stamp and then the
meat is ready for export or for the Ber-
lin market. The meat of young bulls
is specially consumed for the purpose Of
making kind of sausage of which the
Berliners are very fond. Each physi-
clan inspects daily 200 animals, both
before and after killing. In one year
from 5000 to 1000 animals are slaugh-
tered by the veterinary police as un-
sound.
The business done at the Central
Viehhof" may be seen in the average
weekly record of $500 beeves. s,soo
hogs, 1900 calves, 1850 sheep.
After the Strengthening the.premises
are most carefully washed and sprinkied
with disinfectants. The SUMS paid for
the care, weighing, killing and inspec-
ton are as follows: Beef cattle-Stau
money per week, 25 cents; weighing. S
cents; killing, 81 cents; inspection, 10
cents. On account Of the microscopscal
analysis hog inspection costs three
times as much. Calves and sheep are
charged in proportion
The cost of the entire plant is three
million and quarter Of dollars. The
annual expenditure Is about eight hun
dred thousand dollars, which is met by
the receipts. 1t is purely a city affair
and is most carefully managed. To a
Chicagomn it seems a small affair, COM
pared with the colossal transactions at
the Union stock yards. One days re-
ceipts at Chicago would swamp the Ber-
lin 'tviehhof," for the slow methods and
the accommodations would be entirely
inadequate. In other respects, how
ever, our American stock yards and
abbatoirs are far inferior to those Of
Berlin. In the first place, the arrange
ment for receiv ing and disposing of the
animals is vastly superior. There the
buildings are not mere sheds; the stalls
and markets are not Of dirt or boards sat
urated and foul and poisoned with dis
ease germs. The buildings are solid,
substantial, commodious, as comforta-
BILE as possible for both beast and
man. The animals are not in open
pens, but in buildings superbly
lighted and ventilated. The in
spection of the animal is most
thorough, made by trained experts,
who are adopts in animal physiology
and pathology. And not least, the SUI
preme cleanliness Of the entire estab-
lishment may well be initiated by US.
I must confess that after visiting the
''viehhof" can eat my steak, outlets,
chops, and even sausages with much
greater relish. Our states severally
are giving more attention to the gen.
eral subject Of cattle culture, and the