The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-01-03
MUCH MEAT Is
NOT INSPECTED
Only Half of That Eaten is o. X.
Says Chief of Animal
Industry.
AUTHORITY IS insufficient
nfssasOd and Suspicious Looking AMI
mails Go to Uninspected Establish
ments-Brosder inspection
is Urged.


Washington. Jan. 3.-That half the
meat eaten in the United States can
be called uninspected and that a real
and serious danger to the public exists
as a result, is one of the conclusions
reached by DIR. A. ID. Melvin. chief Of
the United States Bureau OF Animal
Industry. in his annual report to the
Secretary OF Agriculture.
Inefhciency of the government in
spection because of its lack of author
ity TO reach business done entirely
within state. is given as one of the
causes, and DIR. Melvin points out the
great need of experimenting the gov
ernment inspection of meats with state
and municipal inspections.
one result OF the federal inspection
is TO cause the diversion OF diseased
and suspicious looking animals to the
uninspected establishments where they
are slaughtered for the local market.
says the report.
MANY cities have an inspection
service but very few have an adequate
force. and the inspection often con-
sists of merely examining the meat as
offered for sale in the markets. when
is it usually impossible to detect d.
sease the evidence of which may have
been removed with the viscera or or
sans," says DR.. Melvin.
"As a rule, sanitary conditions are
very bad at uninspected slaughter
houses and in order to provide real
protection against diseased or un-
wholesome meat competent veter-
mary and sanitary inspection at the
time of slaughter is essential"
Despite the shortcomings of the in
spection, it has many advantages and
is producing results which are in
ereasing from year 20 year. which DR..
Melin shows in his report. With the
new law, steady Improvement in the
sanitation of packing houses has been
brought about, and as a result there
has been a considerable decrease in
the amount of meat condemned in the
inspections.
Notwithstanding the efforts to give
a competent inspection, the service has
been unjustly attacked, the report as
serts. The incident at East st. Louis
is recalled and DR.. Melvin says the
charges there had their foundation in
animus and not in fact. In some cases
other attacks were the result of ignor-
ance of conditions or misrepresentation
of facts. Thorough. investiga-
maine poisoning charged to meat.
proved that in not one Of the instances
could the truth be properly ascribed
to that cause. In other onses, typhoid
fever had been found in schools where
reports of ptomaine poisoning were cir
culated.
such instances" says DR.. Melvin.
should be sufficient to show that cred
cnco should not be placed in reports
rejecting against the meat inspec-
ton"
In force of $500 people engaaed in
inspecting meat. DR.. Melvin declares.
II would not be unusual ic some one
we've found unworthy. All meo are
liable to errors in Judgment, and con-
sidering the Immense amount of meat
( inspected. IL il should happen that
meat which should be condemned
were passed. the amount was such an
infinitesimal part OF the entire guam
tity that it did not affect the value
and the integrity OF the service as a
whole.
More than 36,00O,OOO animals were
| Inspected at the time of slaughter dur
ing the fiscal wear lust closed and
more than 100000 were condemned
in whole or i'm part. on re-inspectiou
more than 25,O0O,000 pounds of mat
and meat products were condemned
which had become unwholesome since
inspection at the time of slaughter.
The inspection service had an ap-
preparation Of ss.OOO,OOO to do busi-
ness on during the year and spent 81.
$4,000.