The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-07
CHICAGO } |! ]! ) | !. INQUIRY
FAIORS PACKERS R
Report of Joint Committee Says
Packingtown Conditions Are
Mot So Bad

Chicago, July 1.-The report Of the
joint committee of the Chicago Com
mercial association and Illinois Manu-
facturers association, appointed to in
vestigate the packing industries Of Chi
cago, together with the report of the
experts who accompanied them, was
made public yesterday. The committee
says:
''That board Of experts of the
character employed, with professional
ideals and guided and influenced by an
'esthetic sense which 'embodies some
thing of necessity and something more
Of luxury should find the product
clean,' and the inspection 'effcient,'
seems to your committee to cover the
situation.
AS result of this investigation,
we, ourselves have no hesitancy in stat
ing that the meat products at the yards
are wholesome and proper food. +.
~ We find that improvements are con-
stantly being made and will be made,
and we believe that the conditions and
surroundings at the plants carefully
protect the quality Of the PRODUCT
Ninnesotan Among Experts. 70
The experts who accompanied the
committee were:
DIR. W. A. Evans, professor Of path
ology, University Of Illinois; DR.. Maxi
millian Herzog, late pathologist, bu-
P. Ravenel, pathologist to the Philip
pines institute, Philadelphia; Professor
A I. Peters, University of Nebraska,
and Professor M. II. Reynolds, Univer-
sity Of Minnesota. Their investigation
occupied two weeks.
They say that parts Of most Of the
plants are up to date, but that in each
~. AZ 4lo1 Sr,lr
ferently. good, and in most Of them
some things Of which they cannot ap.
prove. The findings of the experts are
set forth in a lengthy document, part
of which follows: 49, e."
SsTBetterments relate In some places
mean a complete rebuilding of old
plants. Generally speaking, the more
recently built plants are the best, and
much of the adverse criticism has had
Its origin in conditions at old buildings
which have been adapted to expanding
business. Yet when the committee
comes to analyze this criticism, they
find that part Of it is based upon prin-
ciples that are known and part Of 1t
upon an esthetic and popular demand
that food products shall be produced
In places conforming to certain some
what vague ideals. The esthetic sense
embodies something of necessity and
something more of luxury, in regard to
the latter Of which there may be a
good deal of misinformation.
49, Preservat1ves.
"Nowhere is there greater vagueness
and less definite information than in re-
gard to preservatives. Even scientists
differ on this subject. Your committee
has investigated by inquiry, by search
and by analysis to determine where pre-
servatives were used It gives the pre-
servatives used, but does not discuss the
harmfulness from the perservatives en-
ployed on the one hand, nor the sup
posedly increasing dangers resulting
from the use of unpreserved products
other. 1t especially commends these
s questions for further scientific in
K quiry.'
In summing up their observance OF
the inspection systems of the United
States governm emit and the city of Chi
cage, the committee says, @5& =:
The inspection of carcasses ! has
the houses and very. considerable
= amount of /. time has been spent, il
some cases for hours in succession al
the same place, studying this depart
ment Of the work. There are, unques
tionably. certain features. regarding
which some minor suggestions and crit
icisms might fairly be made, but; il
general it was found that the inspec
tion of dead animals was reasonably
careful, thoro, and, in general, eff
cient. VIZ 49,. -
Postmortem Inspection.
"The committee believes that tn,
ante-mortem inspection is Of far les
Importance than the inspection Of tn
dressed carcass, and feels that If eithe
4 men or funds could be released from
this inspection and expended for addi
tional postmortem work an increased
efficiency might result.
"'The committee considers it of tn
utmost Importance that greatly i'm
proved facilities be provided in tn
United States for the training of me-
in the important specially Of meat in
spection.
TT is the opinion of the committe
that animals reaching the yards dea
do mot get into the stockyards slaugl
terlng houses. a. &ar.e ~
IS a'After carefully considering the pre-
cedure directed by government off
ctals, the committee thinks it fairl
certain that no improner use ia mad