The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-06-06
New Series-Yol. XIV. No 46

OC1 11CS-T Va AAYs NW EV
Of beef and other meats. Some Of
these meat scraps were dry, leathery,
and unfit to be eaten; and in the heap
! were found pieces Of pigskin, and
even some bits Of rope strands and
| other rubbish. Inquiry evoked the
frank admission from the man in
charge that this was to he ground up
and used in making ''pott..d ham,"
In another establishment piles Of
sausages and dry noldly canned meats,
admittedly several .yeras old, were
| found, which the superintendent
stated would be tanked and converted
into grease. The disposition TO be
made of this was wholly optional with
the superinten dents or representatives
| of the packers, as the. government
does not concern itself with the dis.
| position>o of meats after they have pass
ed inspection on the killing floor. It
| might all be treated with chemicals,
| mixed with other meats turned out in
any form Of meat product desired,
and yet the packages or receptacles in
which It was to be shipped out to the
| public would be marked with label
that their contents had been govern
ment Inspected It is Lot alleged
here that such use was to be made os
this stuff. The case is pointed out az
one showing the glaring opportunity
for the misuse Of label bearing the,
name and the implied guaranty Nof
the United States government. X
Another instance Of abuse in the use
Of the labels came to our notice. In
two different establishments great
stocks of old canned goods were being
put through washing process to res
move the old labels. They were then
subjected to sufficient heat to Given
up the contents-to use the, phrase
of the room superintendent. After this
fresh labels, with the government
name on them, were to be placed upon
the cans, and they were to be sent out
bearing all the evidence OF being a
freshly put up product. In one Of
these instances, by the admission OF
the superintendent, the stock thus be-
ing relabeled was over two years old.
n the other case the superintendent
evaded a statement of how old the
goods were.
The lack Of consideration for -the
health and comfort of the laborers in
the Chicago stock yards seems to be a
direct consequence cf the system Of
administration that prevails. The va
rious departments afe under the di-s
rect control Of superintendent who
claim to use full authority in dealing
with the employees and woo seem to
ignore all considerations except those
of the account book. Under this sys-
tenn proper care of the products and
of the health and comfort Of the en-
ployees is impossible, and the con-
sumer suffers in consequence. The
insa anitary conditions III which the
!aborers work and the feverish pace
which they are forced to maintain in-
evitably affect their health. Physi--
clans state that tuberculosis is dis
proportionately prevalent in the stock
yards, and the victims of this disease
expectorate on the srcngy wooden
floors of the dark worHrooms, from
which failing scraps Of meat are later
shoveled up to be converted into food
products Even the ordinary decen--
cies of life are completely ignored.
Inspection 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 for such are abund-
ant, but no specific evidence was pre-
sented to US. That this unimportant
and superficial examination should
be compulsory under the present law,
whereas the more scientiis examina-
after slaughter is only permissiye, in
dictates a serious defect in the law.
Inspection after slaughter appears
to be carefully, and conscientiouly
made. The government veterinarians
maintain that it is adequate, insisting
that passing examination of certain
glands, of the viscera, and of the gen.
eral condition of the carcass is sufi-
cient to enable an expert, engaged
constantly on this work, to detect at
once the presence of disease, or Of alb
normal conditions. On the slightest
indication of disease or abnormal con-
ditions the carcass is tagged and set
aside for later and more careful ex-
animation There should, however, be