Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-06-27
Riald Test FOR Iowa beef.

refusal of packers at the leading cat
tie markets to pay for cattle until
they have passed the post mortem
government inspection, there prom
ises to be revolution In the local
slaughtering OF cattle In Iowa. DR..
Louis A, Thomas, secretary of that
state board of health. in the July Is
sue of the bulletin issued by the de-
partment for the Information of local
boards of health, will present the new
ssue raised and recommend that there
be general local inspection OF meat
inaugurated by the boards OF health
IN each township throughout the
state.
Because large percentage OF the
Did cows sent to Chicago and other
leading cattle markets are being con
demned under the stringent govern
men inspection which has lately been
inaugurated 1t Is now practically Inn
possible for the cattle raiser to sell
old cattle to the buyers In the small
Iowa towns The shipper is obliged
In each case to stand the loss and In
order to play safe the buyers are
almost unit in refusing to handle
the old cattle at all.
This according to Secretary Thomas
has but one natural result The cat
tie being for sale and the buyers re-
tusing to take chances on their ship
ment, the bulk OF them, 1t Is believed,
go to local butchers for local consump-
ton. Thus cattle are butchered In
the small slaughter houses which III
sent to Chicago would be condemned
and sent to the fertilizing watts.
Authorities on the question state
that there Is an alarming percentage
Of tuberculosis prevalent In the old
cattle which were formerly used as
Gamers at the packing plants, There
being no local inspection these ami
mails which receive ready condemna-
ton under the new inspection can be
butchered at home and readily offer
ed for sale.
The pure food low would be the
only remedy under the present sys-
tenn for dealing with the situation,
but according to Commissioner
Wright. 1t would be next to impos-
Vible to secure a conviction as there
Is no way OF telling infected meat
after the animal has been cut up. An
inspection Of the carcass immediately
after slaughter Is necessary and he
feels that his department Is not able
to cope with the present situation.
"The ignorance OF the ordinary
| dealer or man that does the butcher
ing Is the main cause OF the situation"
says Mr.. Wright Every few dealers
would sell diseased meat II they knew
| 1t but everyone Is not able to tell
an infected carcass, and then II Is not
customary for the butcher to examine
very closely"
AS remedy for the evil which is
believed to exist Secretary Thomas
Is to urge that local boards Of health
| establish q municipal slaughter house
| In each bailiwick and that they re-
quire all animals butchered In this
one place which should be kept In
sanitary condition. He then recon-
mends that establishment of an ante
norton and post mortem inspections
to be conducted under the supervision
of the local boards.
II have been for some years In IA
vor Of municipal slaughter house and
the local Inspection of meat butcher
ed for home consumption" said DR..
Thomas. "The present situation
which arises as the natural result
of the refusal to accept questionable
cattle at the markets becomes so
acute as to make 1t appear that there
Is necessity for immediate action.
There are laws on the statute
books which give the local boards of
health authority to establish local
meat inspection and believe that
they should avail themselves OF this
power at once"
1.-THE boards have the power to d.
rect that all Strengthening be done In
one place under the supervision OF
the board and they have right to
condemn any carcass when they see
fit. That there is an alarming amount
of tuberculosis In cattle throughout
the state Is beyond question and the
fact that these questionable animals
are now to be given over to local con-
sumption makes the need Of prompt
action pressing"
The recommendations Of DR.. Tho
mas were enthusiastically approved
by II. r. Wright, state dairy and food
commissioner, who claims that the
pure food law cannot reach the dealers
unless there Is an inspection OF the
carcass at the time OF slaughter.
The question raised by DR.. Thomas
promises to be the chief item of inter.
est to stock raisers throughout Iowa
within the next ten days.