Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-06-05

nIrny mems prlvy. 1t was picked up
by two employees, placed upon truck,
carried into the cooling room and hung
up with other carcasses, no effort be-
ing made to clean it.
The radical defect in the present
system of inspection is that it does
not go far enough. It is confined at
present by law to passing on the
healthfulnesS of animals at the time
Of killing: but the meat that is used
in sausage and IN the various forms
of canned products and other prepared
meat foods goes through many pro-
cesses. in all of which there Is pos
sibility for contamination through in
sanitary handling. and further danger
through the use of chemicals During
all these processes of preparation there
is no government inspection and no
assurance whatever that these meat
food products are wholesome and fit
for foOd-despite the fact that all these
products. when sent out. bear label
stating they have been passed. upon by
government inspectors.
Manufacture of Potted Ham.
AS TO the investigation Of the alleged
Use of dyes, preservatives or chemicals
in the preparation of cured meats, sau-
sages and canned goods. we are not
yet prepared to report We did look
into the matter of sanitary handling
of the meats being prepared for the
various food products. The results Of
our observations have already been
partly given. Other instances of how
products may be made up and still
secure the stamp of government in
spectiOn are here given. In one well
known establishment we came upon
fresh meat being shoveled into barrels.
and Il regular proportion being added
Of stale scraps that had lain on q dirty
floor in the corner of room for some
days previous. In another establish
ment. equally well known, long table
was noted covered with several hun
dred pounds of cooked scraps of beef
and other meats. Some of these meat
scraps We're dry. leathery and unfit to
be eaten: and in the heap were found
pieces Of pigskin, and even bits of
rope strand and other rubbish. In
quiry evoked the frank admission from
inc ilIdI III IIldt llllS WAS 10 ne
ground up and used in making ported
ham,"
All of these canned products bear
labels of which the following is Il
sample:
''Abattoir No. - The contents of this
package have been inspected accord
ing to the act of Congress of March
3, 1891. Quality guaranteed
The phraseOlogy of these labels is
wholly unwarranted. The government
pass only upon the health
of the animal at the time of killing.
They know nothing OF the processes
through which the meat has passed
since this inspection. They do not
know what else may have been placed
in the cans in addition to inspected
meat" As n matter of fact. they
know nothing about the contents" OF
the can upon which the packers place
these labels-do not even know that
it contains what ii purports to contain.
The legend Quality guaranteed" i'm
following the statement as
to government inspection is wholly I'M
iustifiable. 1t deceiveS and is plainly
designed TO deceive the average pur-
chaser, who naturally infcrS from the
label that the government guarantees
the contents of the can to be what ii
to be.
Optional With superintendent.
In another establishment piles OF
sausages and dry mouldy canned
meats. admittedly several years old.
were found. which the superintendent
stated to us would he tanked and con-
verted into grease. The disposition to
be made of this was wholly optional
with the superintendent or represent |
ltives of the packers. as the govern |
ment does not concern itself with the |
of meats after they have !
passed inspection on the killing floor. |
1t might all be treated with chemicals. |
mixed with other meats, turned out |