The Grit-advocate., 1906-06-08

!
| food products prepared by them.
| Government Inspection.
We observed carefully the inspection
ae."re slaughter. The inspection after
slaughter on the killing beds, the more
] minute examination of animals tagged
on the killing floors, and the micro
seopic examination for trichinosis.
| Inspection Before Slaughter. In
speetion before slaughter appears to
have little value in most cases. That
| undue advantage OF this inspection is
taken by outside parties is charged,
and opportunities 1or such are abun-
| Gant, but no specific evidence was pre-
| E@nled TO us. That this uninlportant
and superficial examination should be
/ compulsory under the present law.
| whereas the more scientific examina-
ton after slaughter is only permis-
sIve, indicates Il serious defec. in the
| law.
Inspection After Slaughter
ton after slaughter appears to be care
! frlly and conscientiously made. The
government veterinarians maintain
/ that it is adequate, insisting that
! passing examination of certain glands,
e. The viscera. and OF the general con-
/ dli.on OF the carcass is sufficient to
enable an expert, engaged constantly
on this work. to detect at once the
presence of disease, or of abnormal
conditions. On the slightest indica-
( non OF disease or abnormal conditions
| the carcass is tagged and set aside for
later and more careful examination,
| There should. however, be more pre-
CAUTIONS taken TO insure that the in
str:lments used must be kept antisep-
licalIy clean.
| Microscopic EXamination.-THe MT
| crosCoplc examination of hogs to he
exported TO Germany appears to be
made with great care, and il may fair
ly be asked why the same inspection
is not made of hogs killed for the
american market. The statement that
ham, pork and sausage that are fire.
queLtly eaten raw in Germany, are
net SO used in America, is not strictly
true. Large numbers of our foreign
Dorr population eat ham and PORK
comparatively raw, and hence need the
, pork goes into sausage to Ue eaten
| Without being cooked.
| Number OF Inspectors.-The present
num- Der of inspectors is certainly mad
cqnate, as the secretary OF agriculture
has often complained. We noted that
some large establishments had an Ob-
viously insufficient force. A few small
concerns have no inspectors at all, and
| 1ay sell uninspected meat wherever
the? please in the United States.
Legislation.
| l. Examination before slaughter is
Of minor Importance and should be
permissive instead OF mandatory. Ex-
animation after slaughter is of SUI
| p-eme Importance and Should be COM
pulsory.
| .. Goats, now exempt from inspec-
ton, intended fer foreign or inter-
state commerce. should be included
in the list subject to the inspection
Of the bureau of animal industry, and
should be equally controlled by the
regulations of the secretary of agri-
culture.
Inc ol All HlSdL
! products intended for interstate com
merce al any stage OF their care or
! treatment should be consigned to the
! bureau OF animal industry, and no
mark or sign declaring that inspec-
| ton has been made by government
! officials should be allowed on any can,
| box, Or other receptacle or parcel con-
tanning food prodEcts unless the same
I has been subject to government in.
/ spection at any ana every stage of the
/ process of preparation, and all such
! labels should contain the date of is
/ suance, and it should be msde-
| mGanOr to erase. alter or destroy any
! such labels. Meat products, and
canned, preserved, or picked meats,
when sent from any packing or can
ming establishment, if returned to the
same. should be subject to such fur
tner inspection, regulation, and isola-
tion from other meat products as the
secretary of agriculture may pre-
scribe.
! 4. Power should be given to the sec
retary of agriculture to make rules
and regulations regarding the santa.
ton and construction of all buildings
used or intended to be used for the
care OF food products for interstate or
| foreign trade, and to make such re2l-
lation as he may deem necessary to
otherwise protect the cleanliness and
wholesomeness of animal products,
prepared and sold for foreign and
interstate commerce.
5. 1t should be forbidden 10 any
person, firm, Or corporation 10 trans.
port or offer for transportation from
one state to another any meat or meat
food products not inspected and
! labeled.
General SuggestiOns.-1. the num-
| Der of inspectors should be largely
increased. so that special assignments
may be made for night inspection, for
the examination of animals at the
platforms of stock yarCs. for the fol-
| lowing of dead animals to their al
| legged destination, and for other spe.
cial work
.. Special goverrr ent inspection
should be carried on continuously to
prevent violations of the law and
general abuses in the trade. and to
secure evidence when necessary.
D. A careful study of the standards
of irSDpctipn in OF hpr cDuntrioc cbouIJ