Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-11-16

lungs, enlargement of the lymph
glands, darkened appearance of othel
glands, blackcned spinal column and
perhaps half a dozen additional points
indicate to him at once that the hos
is diseased. Every time this inspector
hnds case which he thinks suspici
Gus or clearly defined as unfit for food
he steps forward from his chair and
slips wire loop through the flesh oi
the hog. The wire bears large vel
low card stating that the carcass i.
condemned. Also attached to the
wire is small lead seal for fastening
the two ends of the wire together.
At that moment the wire is not
sealed, but its presence bearing the
yellow card signifies that the carcass
is to be placed to one side for further
examination. For removing this wire
and card the United States laws pre-.
scribe heavy fine and impriso ment
Further down the line of moving
porkers is the second United States in.
spector. The first inspector has nei.
ther the time nor the opportunity for
doing more than to inspect that Wis.
cera of the animal. The hog has not
yet been split in twain and he could
not possibly see the interior conditions
of the carcass, but before the swine
have been pushed down as fac as the
second inspector each one has been
chopped into halves by the sharp
cleavers in the hands of the workmen.
This official gives the inner cavities an
examination and also carefully in.
spects the outer skin. Red spots on
the hide or granular tubercles stick.
ing to the abdominal or chest walls
are the most common evidences OF dis
ease found by this inspector. The
red spots indicate cholera and the tu-
bercles are evidence of tuberculosis. or
consumption. The official goes
through the same tagging as was re-
terred to above, unless the carcass was
one that had already been tagged by
the first inspector.
The yellow-carded hogs are run off
on side track and all OF them kept
together until after they can be visit
ed by the inspectors after the killing
day is over. Each carcass is then
given more thorough examination
than was possible at tho time whom
they were passing rapidly in front OF
the inspectors. If it is found that the
pork bears evidence that it is impreg.
mated with disease to an extent that
would render its use in the least dan
gerous, condemnation is then com.
pleted. The two ends of the wire
which was passed through the flesh by
the inspector are pulled together, the
loose end is imbedded in a slot in the
piece Of lead attached to the other
end and with pinchers the lead is
pressed over the wire. Thus the final
sealing is completed. On the lead
seal as we'll as upon the yellow cards
appears U. S. Condemnation"
All of the carcasses condemned are
taken to refrigerated retaining rooms,
where they are locked up by the Unit
ed States employees, no one else hav-
ing keys to the lock. When room
is filled it is sealed as we'll as locked,
and it is a crime for anyone other
than an inspector to break the seals.
When the packing-house is ready to
dispose of the condemned pork the
seals are broken and the doors of the
retaining rooms unlocked by the off.
cials and, under the eye OF an inspect.
or, each hog is removed and pushed
down through the hole in the top ol
the big rendering tank. Into this
tank all kinds OF offal must be thrown
so that the pork may at once be ru.
ined for use as food. In this tank the
pork is steamed and boiled until it is
decomposed. The fat rises to the sur
face and the bones and meat sink to
the bottom. The fat SKINNED from
the top to be used in the manufacture
of the cheapest kinds of soap aud the
bones and meat are taken out to be
used in making fertilizers.
Pork for foreign export receives ex'
animation after passing this regular
inspection, which is so elaborate and
thorough that it can scarcely be com.
prehend by anyone who has not made
personal visit to the yards and wit
messed the work. From three differ.
ent parts OF the body of every hog
which is designed for export bits ol
flesh are taken for microscopic exami
nation. Traces of trichine and other
diseased conditions which can be de-
tected only through the microscope
are sought for with the utmost dill
gence.
The requirements in regard tc
American beef maintained by foreign
countries are by no means as heavy as
those on pork, and the United States
inspection given for interstate trade is
accepted as ample by all other coun'
tries. Cattle are not nearly so liable
to disease as hogs, and on a day when
fifteen or twenty hogs might be
thrown out in a single packing-house
there might be only one, two or three
cattle. Diseased steers are often
among the very finest appearing and
heaviest that are purchased. That
they are worthless is only discovered