The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-03-19
For Dscayed Meats Shipped
From Towns in Bay State.
TUBERCULOSIS CATTLE USED
AttIsboe the Shipping Point State Not
Able 10 Prevent Its Coming Even BY Law.

Almost every person who has eaten any
meat of the bologna or frankfurter vari-
ety within the past few months and per-
maps years will be interested in the news
that comes TO the effect that this state
has been made the dumping ground ror
the diseased beef that has been slaugh-
tered in nearby towns Of Massachusetts,
The decayed animal matter thus OBJ
tanned in these towns has been shipped
here. according to Cattle Inspector Caleb
r. Parmenter of Attleboro. and made up
into sausages and frankfurters for both
domestic and foreign use and there Is no
telling how much of such meats the peo-
pie Of this city have disposed OF during
the many months that have passed.
The facts became public through the
controversy that has been waged I'm At
tleboro for the position OF cattle inspec-
tor. and when Mr. Parmenter was ap-
pointed to the position by the selectmen
OF that town last Wednesday.
The facts came out when Mr. Par
menter explained that his duties were
performed and confined TO such slaugh-
tered cattle as was intended for consump-
tion within the boruers of the Bay state
ana that in the case OF meats coming into
this state there was no inspection neces-
sary He declared that this was his plan
upon the authority OF the chief OF the
state bureau of cattle inspection. Austin
c. Peters of Boston.
Mr.. Parmenter was asked If he did not
inspect all cattle slaughtered I'm Attleboro
and condemn il il IL was tuberculous,
he is said TO have replied: only where
the meat is TO be useu In this state. Mr..
Peters has told me that IL is all right
to let IL go. IL II is going TO be sent into
Rhode Island. Any cattle that is not
right that is going to be sold in this
state is to be destroyed.
II saw one COW cut up. the meat of
which was fairly rotten. / asked where
that meat was going, and the reply was:
oh that is going over 10 Rhode Island
to be made UP into sausages and frank
forts You would never know the differ
ence when it is spiced up.
The people of the state are offered but
little or no protection al all. A consulta-
ton of all the authorities to be had upon
the subject with a review OF the laws OF
the state upon the subject; shows that
that there is a provision, both in the state
and the city. OF a certain kind, but that
none of them give the least satisfaction:
The statutes OF the state provide for the
election annually OF an Inspector OF beer
and pork while the ordinances of the city
also provide for an Inspector Of provi-
sions Neither of these has any direct au-
thority 10 act and that Of the state in
spector is entirely foreign to the matter.
State Inspector Benjamin Il. Moulton
explained that his office has no jurisdic-
ton in the matter OF beef and pork that
was brought into this state after being
slaughtered and the only meat that the
state has anything to do with, according
to him is that which is killed within its
confines.
Or. Gardner r. Swarts secretary OF the
state board OF health. also confessed
doubt as 10 the ability OF the state to pre-
vent the importation Of such deleterfous
matter The state board OF agriculture
has 70 do only with the cases Of tubercu-
losis In cattle In this state. He said that
there might be some relief for the city OF
Providence in an ordinance providing for
a local inspector. but that he did not think
that Pawtucket or Central Falls had any
such provision.
The fact that such meat has come into
the state has been known TO the city in
spector of provisions. for he says that IL
was doubtless a fact that such meats had
been imported into the state, since he had
captured some 1000 pounds OF meat OF
that character just as II was about 10 be
made into sausage In one Of the factories
OF the city.
Since that time he has found several
consignments OF decayed meats which he
has condemned There is no way Of dis
covering just what meat OF decayed ma
ture is being, used in the, city, he said.
except 10 look for II, and owing TO the
lack Of facilities much OF II escapes detec-
tion. He says that as far as the office
and the duties OF the inspector are con
cerned there is nothing to prevent this
meat from finding its way into the mar
ket since Il can be so treated 10 make
IL impossible of detection.
THE only way" saws Mr.. Beane. is 20
have the state laws so changed as to en-
tirely cover the case 40 that the office of
inspector OF beef and pork couid be made
something more than joke
DR. Austin c. Peters Of the Massa-
chusetts bureau OF cattle inspection
stated that he thought perhaps Mr..
had been mis,nforned The dispo-
sition OF the diseased cattle Of one
town came under the jurisdiction Of that
towns board of health rather than the
state OFFICERS. The general trend Of the
evidence gathered seemed 10 point to the
fact that this state was being made the
diimping ground Of the diseased meat
which towns in Massachusetts refused TO
allow 20 be used and that there was little