The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-19

testimony on their side. Many have al
ready Acknowledged the cflcisncy OF the Amer.
lean curing system. but before this is Officially
conceded It has been thought necessary %
make moro minute investigation. All Ameri-
can meat found TO be trlchlnous has, there
fore. to be sent to the Royal Veterinary Col
ieRc In Berlin to be subjected TO tests, which II
is said are conducted by Prof. Ostertag.
While scientific men are almost ready 10
admit American arguments, other pressure
besides that OF pure reason Is brought TO bear
on the German Government In framing this
new law. The Agrnrians are. OF course. using
all their influence toward hinderinR the trade
with the United States. and they are not inef-
f~ectively supported by the 10000 microscopists
to whom the,new legislative regulations are
OF vital importance. Another complication
arises out OF the fact that German law utterly
prohibits the sale of meat containing trlchin@.
and as it fails TO distinguish between the dead
and the living parasites. thisd directly Affects a
considerable amount OF meat which. while It
is harmless. contains dead trichinB. This Ger
mans prefer TO destroy harmless meat rather
than run any risk OF the dreaded trichinosis.
while the Americans take the practical stand
that moro people die from lack OF animal food
than from meat which Is slightly Infected and
may easily be rendered innOcuous by thorough
cooking or curing. The Americans say. and
not without reason. that In this particular the
Germans are Inconsistent. In that while they
destroy pork infected with dead trlchintp they
allow other meats somewhat infected with
other disease to he Sold. Thus 20 per cent. OF
the beef from the Berlin slaughter houses.
which has been inspected and passed. fs known
TO come from tuberculous animals. and still
there Is apparently no fear OF evil results.
1t IL clear that IN the preliminary skirmishes
with German Agrarians America has scored
a victory. but deprecated prejudice and the
fear of trichinosis. which has existed for nearly
forty years. cannot be overcome in a day. and
although American INSPECTION has been vindi-
Gated and the American curing methods have
shown that they correct the error which will oc-
cur In every system Of microscopic inspection.
still the fact remains that the middle classes in
Germany have little or no confidence In the
American system. and the sooner this fact is
recognized the sooner will the tension in the
commercial relation OF the two countries be
lessened.
On nearly all points the experts Of Germany
and America are practically agreed. but the
sausage question still presents difficulties.
While German scientific men are. in the main.
ready to admit the validity OF the American
arguments as regards canned meat and cured
pork. their attitude toward foreign sausage Is
more fixed. and 1t is said that great influence
has been brought to bear on DIR. Stiles to in
duce him TO advise the American Govern
ment 10 refuse to give certificates to American
sausage. The discussions on this point can
not be learned in detail. but it is said that this
branch of the subject has given more trouble
than any other. although DIR. Stiles SAYS that
no European country has ever been able to
trace one case Of trichinosis to American GER
titled sausages. nor have the German experts
been able to disprove this assertion.
Anew arrow has been furnished to the Agra
rlans' culver by the statements made by Gen.
Miles regarding the meat with which the
soldiers were SUI piled during the re-
cent war with spain. and the fear has been ex-
that his charges may undo In Ger
many oil the good work which the Embassy
has accomplished in the past year in the in
terest Of Commandment IN commerce.