The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-04-06
REGARDING DISEASED BEEF
U. S. Veterinarian Declares Vermont's
Law Step in Advance. )

! have noticed a disposition on the
part of your paper to criticise the
present method of disposing of the
cattle reacting to the states tubercu-
lin test.
Ii seems to me that ii would be
pretty good plan for a man to inform
himself regarding any matter before
presuming to talk intelligently on 1t,
especially when his words are spread
broadcast through newspaper
II is because of the absolute ignor-
ance, and prejudice OF the people re-
garding this cattle, that a paper
should be very careful what it prints
regarding it, lest it. instead of correct
~ in forming is readers should arouse
their foolish fears.
Massachusetts, is now feeling the
result of this kind of thing, and thous
ands of pounds of meat which should
be eaten are now being destroyed be-
cause of the fear and ignorance OF
the people, famed by the mig1epresen-
tations of a sensational cheap paper.
The ultimate result will be that the
consumer will pay the cost of the
meat 50 destroyed and the price OF
meat will advance in the local mar
kets.
The federal inspection is the best
in the world; consists of higher paid,
better educated, specialists than any
similar body in the world, and what
is passed by this inspection as fit for
food can and should be accepted with
out question as such. The basic fun
damental rule that guides our inspec-
ton is to protect the consumer from
any danger. without at the same time
subjecting the producer to needless
loss, and where there is any question
whatever the consumer gets the ben
eft of the doubt.
1t is characteristic of this country,
and could occur only here, that an
uniformed press and an ignorant pub
lie should presume to De better able
to tell what is and is not proper to eat
than men educated and specialized in
this line
The state of Vermont took a great
step forward when 1t passed the law
under which condemned cattle are
now disposed OF and it seems to me
that it is the duty of the papers to
inform themselves regarding 1t and
educate the people to a true UNDER
standing of the subject rather than
to criticise without knowing anything
about it.
| Wish therefore to extend 10 you,
good brother, and through you TO the
other newspaper men OF the state and
any others who may be interested, a
hearty invitation on the part Of this
department 10 come and be educated
| personally make the post mortem
examinations on these cattle and
can and will explain TO your entire sat
isfaction why certain of them are fit
for food and why others should be con
demned. Then having seen, you may
be more fitted TO discuss the subject
In connection with this article the
! News comments as follows:
The News in pursuance of what II
deems 10 be its duty. has given its
readers all the facts il could find re-
garding this important question. The
| News has condemned nobody and has
/ called no names. We printed the sec
ton Of the law which permits the sale
of cattle condemned by the tubercu-
! lin test; and the terms of the contract
with the Burlington Rendering COM
pany. We have also printed the opin-
] lOll vi u NAdlllC Oliltitiis d NtttA mar OiA
/ the subject, as well as the fact that
under the Massachusetts law such
/ sales are prohibited in that state.
There was something of scandal in
| that state until Gov. Draper, under an
opinion Of the attorney general, put a
stop to all sales OF such beef.
The other day DR.. Brock, the United
! States inspector at this point. wrote
I us letter which we print today. At
his suggestion also the News sent =
! reporter TO the slaughter house to WITT
ness the killing and disposal of the
beef. Our reporter gave in detail all
/ the things he saw; and our readers
have now a clear idea OF the methods
| of disposing of tuberculous cattle as
we'll as the precautions taken to pro
tect the public. The United States
! Bureau OF Animal Industry and all
others who are competent to give an
opinion claim that portions of many
of such cattle are just as free from dis
ease and exactly as pure food as that
of any healthy animal. The killing
is all done under the eye of United
States Inspector Brock, who has been
performing that duty since shortly
after the pure food law went into eff
feet. After the strict inspection and
tests of DR. Brock all meat that is
found free from disease is passed and
all else condemned. q
There is no doubt in the mind oil
this writer that the United States is
enforcing the pure food law, so far as
it has jurisdiction; and no human be
ing need hesitate to eat meat that has
passed its inspection. I'VE are fain tc
believe that the finding of localized
infection in an animal does not affect
the food value of the rest of the beast
II is made unfit only where the dis
ease has spread more or less through
the tissues. This question has beer
under discussion for years and the
doctors have arrived at that conclus
ion The state of Massachusetts 1!
now destroying a large amount o.
good food without reason.