Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-09-26
u,sE>sED MEAT STILL SOLD.

DISEASED MEAT STILL SOLD.
Although the Legislature of 1906
made an effort to stop the sale of dis
cased meat In Vermont there Is album
dnnt evidence that this much desired
result has not been accomplished. OF
the 900 or more slaughter houses in
the state that arc doing an Interstate
business on small scale about half
have been visited by the United states
meat inspector for this district. and
not one of them was found to be con-
Quoted according to federal rcgula-
lions. AS n result Of this discovery
tho offending slaughter houses have
been forbidden to do interstate bust
ness.
The federal inspector has no con-
rol over meat produced and consumed
I'm the state and these butchers sim
ply give up their interstate business
and continue TO XIII and sell meat in
Vermont without any Improvement in
sanitary conditions or any safeguard
against diseased meat.
Only one federal inspector is 10
Gated in Vermont but he reports con-
ditions that arc alarming. He is on
duty at tho rendering plant in this
city and he says that he finds about
one In twenty of the animals killed
there to be infected with tuberculosis
None Of this diseased meat gets into
market because no meat Is allowed to
come out OF this slaughter house un-
less passed by the federal meat In
spcctor and this officer has IN expert
on duty there at all times. It Is evi e
dent that Il five per cent of the cattle
killed at the Burlington Rendering
company's plant arc diseased, about
the same proportion of the cattle kill
ed at the common slaughter houses
elsewhere In the state are likely to 10
similarly diseased, but we seldom hear
OF butchera destroying carcass be-
cause il was found to be diseased
The inspector further reports that
he 1nds tuberculosis in some Vermont
hogs. This is no surprise to him be-
cause he says that at most slaughter
houses a herd of hogs is kept and ali
the waste of slaughter is thrown to
them without regard to whether it is
diseased or not. The feeding Of milk
from diseased diaries also infects
hogs. We therefore have no assur-
and market man that we are eating
healthy pork.
Meat Is being brought into Bur
lington daily from slaughter houses
which have been refused the right To
conduct interstate commerce business
on account Of their filthy conditions
We have therefore no guaranty
against the sale Of this diseased meat
There IL no vested local authority &c
secure an efficient inspection OF this
meat. The health officer can inspect
meat markets inside of the city but
| diseased meat sent here is usually
"stripped' or trimmed so as to con.
ceal any evidence of disease. Tn,
| pure food and meat inspector can in,
spect the slaughter houses but h.
| would find no evidence Of disease un
! less he surprised the butcher befor,
| IN" latter had concealed II.
In the Stat" board of health alon.
rests tho possibility Of a remedy 20
existing conditions and if tina
body finds it laclss necessary power
! IN" people will have to wait until m
next Legislature meets before the,
can secure the necessary Legislation,
/ +" insure healthy meat In the mean
/ time we must study the most cffcctiv
methods of making the sale and rs
of diseased meat impossible.