The National tribune., 1906-06-07

But IL a person dies through eating
the putrid pro tucts of the meat pack
ers, which is IS certain, though not al
ways as speedy, messenger of death
the public acquiesces in the physicians
verdict OF indigestion, catarrhal affec-
ton OF the stomach, appendicitis, or
kindred diseases.
The packers responsible for placing
such food products before the people
are morally, and should be held TO be
legally as guilty of murder as the sneak
ing assassin who furtively places deadly
, poison In the dish to be partaken of by
the intended victim.
In both instances the helpless VIC
tim is stricken down by an unseen
hand. In one case, death quickly re-
lieves the terrible suffering. while in the
other instance a slow and torturesome
process is used. robbing the people of
their health. and making burdensome
lives that should be filled with hign
hopes and ambitions.
Danger Turks I'm Cans
''The terrible dangers of preserved
meats to the health of the system cam
not be exaggerated, neither can the de-
spicable schemes resorted to by the
packers In foisting off upon an unsus-
pecting public diseased meat, fish, and
chickens.
''Puffed cans filled with meat which
has fermented, are perforated, and filed
with solution Of formaline, when the
hole is soldered up. and they are put
upon the market as food to be eaten by
people.
1.-The effect OF such food on the hu-
man system is such as to produce either
acute indigestion or a catarrhal condi-
ton of the intestines, which goes on to
point where the appendix becomes af-
fected. Various grades of appendicitis
then result, such as catarrhal or recur-
rent or a violent Inflammation, which
results In perforation of the intestines
and peritonitis, from which the patient
dies The cdtarrh that lis set up by
this character of food erodes and de-
stroys the mucuous membrane of the
bowels, and then the various infective
intestinal bacteria attack the muscular
coats and cause Inflammation and per-
foration.
Responsible for Insanity.
Medically it is reasonable to suppose
that the Introduction of preseryatiyes
or adulterated food into the body weak
ems the blood, and is probably largely
responsible for great deal of insanity,
which is increasing with alarming rapid
ity. Appendicitis and catarrhal eondi-
ton of the stomach are mostly met with
in large cities, and not in the hills and
mountains. where people live on fresh
foods. But wherever you find canned
ioous OF preserved meats tnere you nnd
such diseases most prevalent. In ho-
tel in Yellowstone Park, where 1 was
stopping, 19 of the help were affected
with stomach troubles. The cause was
found in deserted ravine back of the
house where was piled mountain of
cans from which the menu of the hotel
had been provided"
Regarding the packing-house chick
en-, DR.. Johnson expresses horror and
loathing at the manner in which chick
ems are packed in cold storage without
being drawn. He insists that the poi
sonous excretions In the intestines are
forced up into the blood vessels of the
chicken, and that the dark spots next
to the bones of the chickens which come
from the packers is putrid matter poi
sonous to the system.
'It is more dangerous to see a dis
eased carcass in a butcher shop" said
he, than to fire a gatling gun up the
street. With the gun some people
would escape, while with bad meat all
are affected more or less
The Probable Facts.
There is no doubt that much of the
stuff afloat is gross exaggeration and
absolute falsehood. Still there is quite
enough truth to justify the action that
has been taken to subject the packers
and Gamers to the most rigid scrutiny.
Canned goods, like Cesar's wife, should
be above suspicion, and this is as much
to the interest of the packers as to any
one.
The question Of the use OF preserva-
tives is an immensely important
matter. Everything, even sailing,
which tends to preserve meat. must also
injure its digestibility in the stomach.
Inasmuch as the success of packing op-
erations is involved in the length of
time which the canned goods can be
kept in condition. it is highly important
that preservatives should be used, and,