Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-10
SOLD AS GOOD MEAT
TubercuIous Cattle Passed as
Food Fit to Eat.
DR.. MELVIN TESTlFlES
Only When Edible Parts Are Dis
eased Is Beef Rejected.
WITNESS SILENT AS TO TRUST
Agricultural Department Expert
Evades Expression Of Opinion.
Goat Sold as Lamb. Perhaps.

Cuts Of meat from cattle which had
been affected with tuberculosis are sold
as food in the District of Columbia and,
in fact, everywhere else throughout the
country.
This information was elected from DR..
Nonzo y. Melvin, chief of the bureau Of
animal industry of the Agricultural De-
partment. at today's hearing before the
Moore special committee which is inquir-
ing into the food problem in the National
Capital.
DR.. Melvin didn't believe. however, that
such meat is unwhoIcsomc.
He testified that cattle suffering from
consumption. but in such condition that
inspection did not indicate that the edible
parts of their flesh were affected, were
permtted to be killed for sale as food.
I;ut cattle with severe cases of tubercu-
losis were not allowed to go on the mar
ket.
Goat Sold as Lamb, Maybe.
Representative j. Hampton Moore of
Pennsy lvania, chairman of the special
committee, made the statement th-t he
had reason to believe that goat meat was
sold as lamb in the District. DR.. Melvin
couldn't either confirm or deny this.
He mentioned, however. that goat meat
was not at all unwholesome. He thought
it should be sold at lower price than
lamb and should not he substituted there
for without the knowledge of the pur-
chaser.
The committee started ont on a new
angle today. Representative Johnson of
Kentucky tried TO get DIR. Melvin's opin-
was, such trust, and, If so. If 1t had all
to DO with fixing the prices to the ulti-
mate consumer.
DR.. Melvin wasn't at all anxious to go
he had an opinion, then that he didn't
want to give il, and, last, that he had no
opinion at all.
Melvin Evades Expressing Opinion.
After DIR. Melvin had given the names
of some half dozen or SO of the biggest
packers of the country, Mr.. Johnson
asked him if he thought central manage
ment. control, ssr-ssyreement existed be-
tween them.
II wouldn't like to say that it does,'
Dr. Melvin replied.
1T didn't ask you that returned Mr.
johnson. DO you believe it does?"
Well" said DR.. Melvin. various ship
pers of live stock have complained to me
that when they ship to one market and
can't get a satisfactory price, and then
ship to the next market where these
packers have their agents. they never can
get better price there"
No Facts to Go By.
is it your opinion Mr. Johnson in
sisted that this condition exists because
of this central control?'
Il don't know.
But" Mr.. Johnson said, i asked for
your opinion and not whether you knew"
Il couldn't give specific instance"
"You prefer" persisted Mr.. johnson,
mot to express your opinion on the sub
ject."
''Only because I have no specific infor-
nation replied the witness.
Then" suggested Mr.. Johnson, you
have no opinion on the subject"
II wouldn't want to say / hadn't.
Then you decline to say you haven t
one" Mr.. Johnson was right after him.
II don't believe" explained the scien-
tist. that l would be justified i'll testi-
tying either way.
I'm consequence of the fact that you
have no opiniono" intimated Mr.. john
son. courteousiy-
NO said DIR. Melvin. because | have
no specific information"
Then you have no opinion, declared
the kentuckian.
NO sir DIR. Melvin somewhat wearily
replied, II haven't"
Whereupon Mr.. Johnson leaned back in
his chair, looking satisfied.
Half of Slaughter Inspected.
DR.. Melvin mentioned, in the course of
his testimony. that the inspectors of the
bureau OF animal industry had made in
spections OF 7,325a.S1 cattle. 2,O46 Ill
calves, f0,SO2,9n3 sheep. 6D.l93 goats and
rs, 1851 swine slaughtered at $40 es-
Establishments in 240 cities He thought
the aggregate of all these constituted
about one-half of the total number of
cattle. etc. slaughtered annually In the
United States. The rest were slaughter
in non-inspected establishments and in
villages and on the farms.
Talking OF goats. DIR. Melvin answered
a lot of questions asked by Mr.. Moore
He had no knowledge of goat meat being
sold substitute for lamb in the Dis
trict.
In France and Germany the poorer
class eat horse meat, he said. He didn't
think II was legal to sell this sort of
flesh IN any city OF the United States