The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1906-09-28
TAGS FOR MEAT PURITY.
Government ArrangEs 70 Let
Public Know what II
Buys.

The tag on the meat VIII soon tel
the story for the consumer, and the
department of agriculture is wal n
ing purchasers to watch the butcher
as he cuts their meat for them. Per-
haps the most important Of the lot
is the one place on all primal cuts
of the fresh meat before it leaves
the abattoir. This is the famous
gelatin label, and the chances are the
consumer will never see it in its en-
tirety.
1t is a peculiar device, made on a
mosquito net backing, and the net
ting filed with the thinest sort Of
gelatin. The layer is in indelibie
blue ink. and reads: United States
inspected and passed" with an ar
bitary number, indicating the pack
ing house. This label is stuck on the
moist pieces Of meat. The gelatin
dissolves out. and perhaps the mos
quito netting that holds it together
peels off. But the blue ink stays for
keeps till it is cooked. This label or
some part of it is very apt to appear
on the piece of meat on the block II
it has passed the gOvernmentlnspec-
ton. The only legitimate reason
for its not appearing is that the
meat may be of home origin; that is.
killed in some packing or slaughter
house within the limits of the state,
in which case it need not bear the
Inspectors stamp of approval.
Another of the important govern
ment labels is that which will be
placed with rubber stamp on such
meat and bacon, where there is a
skin that will take such mark. 1t
reads the same in abbreviated form,
~. S. ms. Psd," with the same sort
of number, indicating the packing
house from which the goods origi-
mated. The label is about . inches
square.
These are the two principal marks
in which the consumer will be inter-
ested, though there is another more
like an internal revenue stamp print
ed on paper and about two by three
inches. This is fine piece Of en-
craving, bearing the.eagle and shield
in one corner with an elaborate or
namental border. The inscription
reads, United States Department
of Agriculture, Bureau OF Animal
Industry, Inspected and Passed"
This label will be Cancelled after i, is
used by red stamp with the name
of the inspector and the number of
the establishment whence the goods
came. This stamp is for box goods,
and will be on the wooden boxes of
canned stuff, each can of which will
also bear the owners private label,
approved by the department Of ag-
riculture. Boxes of canned goods
cannot be carried by the railroadsin
interstate commerce without bear
ing this stamp.
For meat that is done up in bur
lap wrapping. as much Of the fresh
meat is, there will be a special tin
tag about ~ inches long and less
than half an inch broad. This has
special catch on one end, so that
when the sharp end of the tin is run
through the cloth wrapping and in
to the catch it is impossible to get i
out again. The tin strip is stamped,
Inspected and Passed" ike the
other labels, and is for the guidance
of the railroads who have to trans
port the meat.
There is a big, vieious-looking
rubber stamp that it is hoped the
public will never see. 1t reads, ~.
S. Inspected and Condemned" It's
the final seal of the governments
disapproval on meat before it goes
to the tank for fertilizer. There
are also two heavy pasteboard tags,
one of flaming red, that is attached
t. meat held under suspicion for
further examination, and a buff
colored one marked Condemned"
which is attached if the meat is
finally withheld by the inspector.
A Lively TusSle