Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-02

the fact that when you tap them on the
outside they give forth more resonant
note than sound tins. The gases which
have gathered inside the tin make a note
note given out by the sound tin. In good
meat, well packed, the sound is dead.
I'm old cans we often find large quantities
Of tin mixed in with the food. This is very
injurious to health and may cause severe
illness, and even death from setting up
gastro-intestinal trouble. The maximum
amount Of tin which l have found in Eng
lish canned goods has been as follows:
Lobster, 2.94 grains per pound; mackerel,
2.5o grains per pound; pineapple, 2.97 grains
per pound; salmon, 1872 grains: condensed
milk, 2.37 grains apricot. 2.92 grains; black
currant jelly, 1.96 grains.
* X
"Of course, all this is highly deleterious.
In salmon 1 have found traces of lead as
well as large quantities of tin. Food that
has been timed more than three years
should be looked on with suspicion.
with reference to canned meats. we
really have no proper system Of telling
whether diseased meat has been put up or
not. This could only be ascertained by
what we call a physiological test-that is,
trying the stuff on guinea pigs or mice and
observing it's effect. AS we are placed to-
day, diseased meat may be packed in this
country with impunity, and we will be none
the wiser. We have no proper system of
inspection which would prevent dealers
from doing pretty much as they liked.
Meat should be inspected for disease be-
fore it is killed, and no meat should be al
lowed to be sold unless 1t undergoes this
inspection. Then, again. there is no proper
inspection of private slaughter houses
butchers kill when and where they please.
AS to canned meat, we cannot tell from
examining the contents of cans whether
the meat was put up under clearly, sani-
tary conditions or not. AS a rule, when we
find traces of boracic acid and other pre-
servatives in meat tins the presumption is
that bad meat has been put up and that
the preServative has been introduced to
mask it.
London when minced This meat is spiced
to disguise the smell and taste. The mine
ing of meat should only be allowed at stated
times when under proper inspection.
X \
'In our district we have found some Of
the tripe shops and other meat places where
small quantities are sold to be in a filthy
condition. In one place l examined 1 found
two tons Of pieces of meat, such as Sleeps
heads. tripe,- liver and species of hogs
head cheese in vat under the most dis
graceful conditions. In the same room was
an open sewer, with a broken drain. In
another of these shops the conditions were
SO disgusting that instigated proceedings
and succeeded in getting the proprietor
fined 800. This dealer finally closed up
and was forced out of business.
There are large quantities Of horse meat
sold in London, but it is mostly used for
feeding CATS At the same time, you never
see horses tongues being sold for cats
meat l am under the impression that
many horses tongues are used in London
for human consumption"
Confirming the opinions of DR.. Thomas,
which are here given. owing to the fact
that he analyses larger quantity of food
'stuffs than any other medical officer of
London, are the opinions of nearly all other
London analysts. Some even have found
even worse conditions than Dr. Thomas:
In fact the medical officer for Bethnal
Green-in the East End Of London-found
can of brawn-a species of hogs head
cheese much used as food in London
which was literally reeking with living or
ganisms. This was worse than any thing
found in American or other meat examined.
AS a matter of fact, the reports of the
London analysts with reference to Ameri-
can canned goods have been decidedly IA
vorable, 1t having been proved that there
was more preservative, larger deposits of
tin and more unsound meat In British
canned goods than in the goods coming
from American packing houses.
w. B. NORTHROP.