Chicago eagle., 1907-06-29

Chicago is not the only place that
,s suffering from the ipdiscriminate
sale Of tuhercular and lumpy jaw beef
and from trichina hogs.
The National capital itself Is men.
aced by this awful food as the fol.
lowing. taken from the Chicago Daily
News. of April IL. 1907. testities:
Especial Correspondence of The Chi.
cago Daily News.)
Washington. u. c.. April 15.--The
recent discovery that tuberculous cat.
tic. condemned for dairy purposes,
were being slaughtered and sold for
food In the markets of Washington has
emphasized the necessity of extreme
watchfulness OH the part of State and
city food inspectors In all parts OF the
country. The discovery created n sch.
sation in the national capital. but the
facts were fully verified and has led
10 strengthening of the local inspcc-
ton service which may hereafter re.
Qu!re that condemned cattle shall he
absolutely destroyed In the presence Of
the inspectors,
When the meat.lnspcctlon law was
passed by Congress 1t provided solely
for the inspection Of meats for Inter.
state and foreign commerce. 1t was
specifically pointed out at the time
that intrastate commerce was not
concerned In the provisions Of the law
and there Is nothing on the statute
books to prevent diseased meats from
being sold In Washington, Chicago or
anywhere else. II slaughtered and ship.
ped within the confines Of State. ex.
cept for the provisions Of the State
aud municipality and the vigilance Of
their officials. Following the investl.
cations ut Chicago by Messrs. Nelll
and Reynolds for the President. II was
pointed out In these columns that re.
lief Of the local markets from the sale
OF diseased meats could not be had
without IN application Of the most
stringent regulations and inspection.
The discovery In Washington during
the past week Is Illustrative OF what
can easily happen and what may be
expected In any community. despite
the untlrlng efforts OF health officials
TO prevent the sale OF bad meats In
city markets.
The discovery OF this condition In
Washington was brought about by
united effort on the part OF the health
officials to trace the causes OF typhoid
fever, tuberculosis and other mortal
diseases, particularly deadly In the
District OF Columbia. Examinations
by health experts on q dairy farm In
Virginia, near Washington. led to the
discovery of seventeen cases OF tuber.
culosIs In the dairy herd.
The bureau of animal Industry Of
the department Of agriculture has re.
peatedly called attention to the growth
OF contagious disease In animals used
for food. Previous to the passage OF
the inspection law, experience In the
large abattolrs inspected under federal
supervision showed 3 per cent OF hogs
suffering from tuberculosis and many
other diseases We're prevalent In pro-
portion. The annual loss on hogs alone
10 the packers MS a result OF this con-
demnatlOn was $3,OO0,OOO annually
The bureau never ceased to declare
that abattolrs having no inspection
could not possibly avoid the purchase
of diseased carcasses.
Under the meat-lnspectlOn law, ai
Il now operates, intrastate shipments
OF diseased carcasses slaughtered b.,
small butcherIng establishments no
engaged In Interstate or foreign com
merce are not inspected, and, lnferen
TALLY, are subject 10 the same suspI
cion which the government formerl,
had on larger establishments engages
In interstate and foreign trade which
similarly, had no government !nspec
ton. IL clearly bchooyes the meat
producing States and the cities Of tn
country, in the light Of the recent cX
perience OF Washington, 10 redoubl
their vigilance, else they may right
fully be charged with a neglect o
duty and by failure 10 supplement III
national laws and inspection serylc,
guarantee only 10 the foreigner an,
their nelghbors In other States exemI
ton from the use of diseased meats
LEROY T.. VERNON.
~
The Chicago Examiner in It's maj
ket report, published April II, 1907
said.