The San Francisco call., 1908-12-20
HUMANE METHODS
FOR SlAUGHTERING
Berlin Requires Animals Intend
ed for Food to Be Killed in
City Abattoirs
Consul General Thackara Gives
Interesting Account of the
Arrangements

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19.-ConsuI Cen
eral A. w. Thackara writes that all
animals intended for food purposes in
the city of Berlin must by German law
and municipal and police regulations be
slaughtered in the municipal abattoirs
under the strictest police and veter-
mary surveillance. Mr.. Thaekara de-
scrlbes their operation as follows:
only the most humane methods of
Killing the animals are permitted to be
used, and the utmost attention must be
paid to cleanliness and to the preven-
ton of Infection in all the various op-
erations. The Berlin abattoir, located
In the northern part of the city, was
built in 1881 at a cost of over s4,250,-
600, and covers an area of nearly lis
acres 1t is regarded as one of the
model institutions of its kind I'm Ger
many, one in which the most modern
hygienic methods are used.
DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS
The abattoir is divided into two sec
tions-the cattle market and railway
station on the east and the slaughter
yards and houses on the west. In the
cattle market section there are sheep,
cattle and hog stalls. the exchange, va
rious sheds in which the cattle are sold,
sheds for isolating animals which are
disinfectfng plant, etc. In the railway
station there are various tracks and
platforms, where four cattle trains of
SO cars each may be unloaded or loaded
simultaneously.
The slaughter yards contain the po-
lice slaughterhouse where animals
which are i'll or suspected and have
been rejected by the veterinary officials
are killed by the police butchers under
f.x~. ~ L 1k<s1I
for the sale of meat. three cattle
slaughterhouses. administration build
ings for the officials of the abattoir and
for the veterinary surgeons, etc.
pathological museum and the munich
pal meat examination department.
There are further an institution for
the preparation of lymph, slaughter
houses for calves and sheep, with the
necessary stalls for small animals,
cooking and steriIizing department,
kitchens for trying out fat and maxim &
tallow, aIbumen factory. plant for max
ing margarine, one for cleaning bristles.
etc. In the section for killing hogs
there are three hog yards with room for
10000 hogs, five slaughterhouses, boiler
house cold storage plant. a building
for the microscopic examination of
meat, etc.
EXTENT OF THE BUSINESS
In 1906 the sale OF cattle and other
animals amounted to nearly $55.000,00
The number of animals slaughtered
during that year were as follows:
1929 cattle, 1861 $50 calves. 1854
sheep, 964,612 hogs and 1880 horses.
In the municipal meat inspection de-
partment 657 persons were employed,
including l director. Al veterinary sur
geons. 15 assistant veterinary sur
geons, IA section superintendents for
the trichina department. 26 assistant
superintendent, 121 male microscopists
and 120 female, etc
OF the animals slaughtered in 1905
In 1873 cases the entire bodies were
found to be unfit for food; in 339.633
cases the parts which were not affected
were allowed to be used; 3,142 animals
We're declared under certain conditions
fit for food; the meat from 5000 ami
mails was reduced in price as being
inferior in value for food. Trichinosis
was found in 55 cases. in 3s of which
the whole carcass, except the fat was
rejected; in % cases the meat was de-
c1ared to be fit for use under certain
restrictions. Tuberculosis was found in
29,917 steers out of $1,000; 10.s26 bull
locks out oft99,643 S124 cows out OF
1880; 1876 calves over 8 months old
out OF 165,7S1; 41,097 pigs out of s32,-
119; rs sheep out of 1850; goat out
of 100 examined. Actinomycosis was
found in the case of 1904 examined,
3 sheep.
The department for infectious dis
eases has it's own railway track, five
stalls and three slaughterhouses. An
imals are brought there from districts
where infectious diseases are prevalent
or from the cattle yard when suspected
by the police veterinary surgeons of
II. fA.t