Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-16
INSPECTION SERVICE
Packing House Scandal Thrusts
1t Into LimeIight.
ANIMAL INDUSTRY BUREAU
Institution Stands as Net Woven
Across a Stream.
HOW THE WORK IS PERFORMED
Use of Condemnation Tags-Retain-
Ing Rooms-View of Pork IN
der the Microscope.

Copyright, 1905, by John Elfreth Watkns)
This great packing house scandal which
| now has US all by the ears has suddenly
| thrust into the Nmelight our national meat
| inspection service operated under the bu-
! reau of animal industries
This important institution stands today
| In the plight of a great net woven across
| a stream, but which has not been extended
as the stream itself has swoolen into
| river.
Fifteen years ago there was writ upon
| the statute books law providing for the
| inspection of animals slaughtered for inter
| state and foreign commerce. The first year
Of this inspection there were twenty-three
| establishments slaughtering animals for In
| terstate and export trade, and all of their
products were scanned by the eagle eyes of
| government agents. But today there are
| 100 such establishments where inspectors
| are at work. and more, too, where there
| Is no government supervision. The result
| is that 35 per cent of the meat produced in
| this country-more than thirds going
| TO the eater without any guarantee what
| soever that 1t is not diseased. There are
| numerous slaughter houses killing hogs and
| other animals for the interstate trade
where no government inspection has been
| established, and where there are conse-
| Quently no government inspectors to con-
denim and remove the diseased carCasses.
| This has been the case since three years
| ago when the packing industry commenced
| to outgrow the appropriation for the in
| spection service Now establishments have
sprung up and asked the government for
| inspectors, but these have had to be noti-
| fed that there is no money with which to
extend the inspection service. Many other
concerns which are by no means banker
| ing for inspectors are not going to the
formality of asking for them.
Absence Of Inspectors.
| The absence of inspectors at these places
not only permits uninspected meat to go
into interstate commerce, but it results
In unfair discrimination against packers
which have inspection. A concern guard
ed by inspectors loses, for example,
~ per cent of it's hogs by condemnation for
Notwithstanding in one case to
loss of 100000 year. Yet another con-
cern doing a similar amount of business
without inspection puts these diseased hog
carcasses upon the market upon the same
terms healthy ones 1t is plain. then
that the profits of the uninspected concern
will be 100000 greater than those Of the
former
house without inspection can therefore
undersen q house that has inspection.
But the chief wrong is that done
the eating public. In every large consign-
nent of animals brought to the big slaug:-
ter houses after the most careful buying
there is always found a considerable pro-
portion OF diseased stock. Last year out
II, 600 carcasses condemned for tuberculosis
alone. One in 400 inspected CATTLE one in
1000 sheep and one In 300 pigs are con-
demned for all causes. 1t is reasonable
to assume that the same proportion of dis
eased carcasses are passed on to the con-
sumner by packing houses which have no in
spection. And have you ever in your life
taken means to find out whether the meat
which you eat bears the government in
spector's mark? The Secretary of Agricul-
ture has been driving at Congress for more
inspectors, but 1t has turned deaf ear to
him. So that is how the land lies.
How the Inspectors Work.
But let see how the meat inspectors
work In the 100 establishments to which
| they are supplied.
AS the animals arrive at the stock wards
| adjoining the abattoirs a squad from the
inspection corps-some of them mounted
on horses-looks them over carefully and az.
ter selecting suspects examines these latter
for symptoms of disease, injury immatu-
rityt pregnancy, etc. Those which are re-
jected are put in a separate Enclosure and
tagged When those suspected of disease
only slaughtered, but before their car
cases are skinned or cleaned, they are
passed to another inspector on the sskilIing
floor of the abattoh5 who examines the in
ternal organs for &c ms and other signs of
disease. Then, If the inspectors In the
steckyards outside shall have been mis-
taken In their diagnosis, the carcass is al
All animals slaughtered-those passed in
the yards as well as those condemned there
must under the regulations, be inspected
| by government men before being finally al
| lowed to pass. Each carcass has a number
and the head, tail. caul and entire viscera
| are given the same number. These trim
mings and cleanings then pass through the
hands of inspectors who supposed TO
| examine them carefully for symptoms of a
score of diseases. Then, If disease Is dis
covered, the carcass is identified by its num-
| Der and is marked with a condemnation
tag made fast with wire and seal, the
| same tag being attached to the diseased
| organs or parts. Then the tagged carcass
and parts are placed in a rendering tank and
subjected to force of steam which makes
them unit for food purposes. The tank Is
fastened with wire and lead seals by the
Inspector after offal has been heaped into
| it or the carcass has been thoroughly
| sIashed with knife and saturated with
kerosene. to make impossbility OF market
| Ing ioubly sure. Such is the procedure
| which the regulations specify for abattoirs
| having their own rendering tanks. These
which have not such facilities are allowed
! TO remove their condemned carcasses to
| outside rendering works designated by the
| inspector and there destroyed upon his SUI
pervision. In cases where only a part of
| the carcass is condemned and where 1t cam
not be cut, without damage, until the
| whole has been chilled, the carcass e tagged