The Washington times., 1909-01-21
SAYS MEAT SUPPLY
IS TAINTED BY ACID
GrocerS' Association BlameS
Ink Used or Govern
ment Stamps.

Is the meat being consumed by the
people Of Washington tainted by car
boIic acid. and If so, what is the cause.
The Retail GroceTs' Protective AssO-
citation says that it is, that meat pass
ing through the hands of Government
inspectors both smells and tastes Of car
bolic acid and that this is due either TO
the ink used in stamping the meat or
20 dipping the stamp itself into the
acid.
On the other hand, the officials Of the
Bureau Of Animal Industry assert that
IL is absolutely impossible for any meat
10 be tainted with carbolic acid from
the ink and that the stamps are not
cleaned with Carbohc acid, but with hot
water
At meeting last night of the ProteC-
tive Association athe following resolu-
ton was adopted.
Associations Resolutions.
Resolved, That the Retail Grocers
Protective Association protests against
the present method of stamping meat
by the Government inspectors. as it is
causing the members of our association
a great deal of trouble, owing to the
odor and taste that come either from
the stamp or the ink that is used"
The dealers assert that To cut out the
part stamped does not effect q remedy,
for all the meat under the spot stamped
and for several inches around It is at
Iected. They say that their trade is
being ruined and they find IL impOs-
Sible TO make customers believe that
the Government y responsible.
At the Bureau o. Animal Industry &c
was said today Ly Chief Clerk 1. T..
Carroll in the absence of DR.. A d Mel
oh rEnH
DOlic acid is contained in the ink, which
is manufactured IN the laboratory ol
The Agricultural Department
1t would certaAlly be an anomalous
state OF AFFAIRS. said Mr.. Carroll, IF
We marked as being healJhful meat that
we had ourselves stamped with a
poisonous substance. There is posi-
lively no injurious ingredient of any
sort In the ink used. II is absolutely
harmless. This department has re-
celVed no complaint as Yet from The
meat dealers, and II the meat IS tainted
We do not know whether IL is meat from
Inc local abatJOlrs or from Western
slaughter houses If SUCH a faint had
been caused by ink we would be re-
ceiving complaints from all parts Of the
country, as the same ink Is used every
where. But we have heard nothing Of
the matter except in this city"
Infected Through Cars.
DR.. NJ. Dorset, CHIEF OF the blochemica
division of the Agricultural Department
IS inclined to think that the meat II
tainted at all has become infected
while being carried in stock cars which
have previously been disinfected. He
said today:
AT the time OF the outbreak of the
foot and mouth disease among cattle
last fall IN the States Of New York
pennsylvania Maryland, and Michigan
the railroad companies agreed 20 disin.
rect all their stock cars before they
We're loaded. For this purpose they were
allowed 10 use either chloride of lime on
carbOlic acid We have received several
complaints, notably from Brooklyn. that
i've animals, especially swine, took uL
the odor Of this acid and retained 81
after they We're slaughtered 1t may
ne mat this IS the trouble iu Washing
Jons though as Vet we have not investi-
gated the matter