New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-03-06
SAY NEAT IS SOUND
L. S. Bureau Replies Vigorously to
Criticism from London.

At the United States bureau of animal 1noustry'
No iO4 West 42d street yesterday little significance
was attached the report of Dr. "1-iiaII1s, ihel-
cal officer of the port of London, alleging the ais
eased condition Of recent conSgnTlehts OF
American meat which had come under his inspec-
ton on February 2
The disease that DR.. Williams found an oIncial
said was probably nothing more than 'stronsyles'
or some other parasite harmless to man This Is
usually found in the throat and internal organs As
10 the absence Of ynphatc glands in fifteen frozen
hogs out Of three hundred which Dr. Williams
noted there is nothing significant That is simply
result the careful inspection the animals are
put through during the course OF which the lynn
phatic gland the throat is two or three times
for the purpose of examination In view Of the
fact that this gland in the hog is only about as
large the little finger and half as long 4 fire.
quently falls out in the of inspection
transportation If Dr.. Williams found only fifteen
absent think that is pretty good percentage.
"As for the examination Of frozen hogs I
rather amused for any inspector knows that it is
practically impossible to examine frozen carcass
it is hard. II he broke the necks Of the hogs
apart look the Emphatic glands not
surprised that ne found them gone.
AS for the reported Of tuberculosis. don't
know. None Of us is infaible-even a meat in
spectcr II is. Of course possible that infected
animal in a hundred thousand might escape US
But are pretty careful. Every animal that is
killed is examined by these government inspectors
Nire-tenths of the meat sent abroad comes from
the vest DEt the system mere IN New 1Orh Is JUST
the same. As the carcass passes an inspector the
throat examined and If it is injected the
is tagged and sent II one side. II. upon further
examination. IL proves TO be generally infected il
IS destroyed II the infection is purely local. that
portion Of the animal is thrown away and the rest
passed After a sound animal is evscerated it is
examined a second time, and If it is in perfect
condition il IS labelled with the government stamp
BY special arrangement with the British au-
thorites the packers agreed to send TO England
on whole containing edible internal
organs and the Emphatic glands. Our inspection
is the best in the world. and the criticism from
DR. williams is ludicroIs in view Of the fact that
q commission from England only recently examined
system, and reported favoraby upsn il and
urged the adoption Of many features of it in their
country. Until recently, you know, England
has had the worst system OF inspection IN the
world In fact now it Is purely local. whereas we
have not only local federal inspectors in all
states. but have travelling inspectors who
that uniform methods prevail throughout the coun-
try
When asked what action the government would
take in case the English authorities should take up
this complaint Of Dr. Williams. the government
expert said: Probably This thing has come
up before and the government has absolutely re-
fused to extend the scope Of its inspection This
looks to like effort the part Of the Eng
fish packers TO protect themselves by raising an
other cry against American meat
When asked for figures concerning the number
Of animals condemned in the United states the
Bureau Of Animal Industry reported the following:
In 1907 Ohe year for which figures are obtain
able) 2s.497 cattle condemned out of I.62 III
inspected, 81 of l per cent; 6.i62 calves. out Of
l76S 574 examined. condemned or SO per cent;
sS77 sheep out Of s.6sIs76, practically 1 per
cent were condemned, and 1890 swine were con-
| demned out OF 81. Sl59O0. 80 per cent.
From these figures il pointed out that Ameri-
can sheep are practically free from tuberculosis
| because they Craze the plains. Only about a
dozen cases of tuberculosis have been discov-
cred among them, whereas hogs are most liable 10
| disease.