Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-03
Federal Government Unable to Reach
Purely State Business.
DIVERSION OF DISEASED MEAT
Animals Are Sent to Plants
that Are Not Inspected.
LOCAL ACTION IS NECESSARY
states and CITIES should Provide for
Inspection OF All Slaughter Houses
Not Under Control of Gcn-
erRl Government.

WASHINGTON Jan, 2.--That half the
meat eaten i'm the United states can be
called uninspected, and that a real and
serious danger to the public exists as n
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 secreary of agrlcul-
ture.
Inefficlency of the government inspection
because OF its lack OF authority to reach
business done entirely within state, is
given as one OF the causes and DIR. Mel
vim points out the great need of supple
mentng the government Inspection of
meats with state and municipal inspec-
tions.
one result of the federal inspection is to
cause the diversion of diseased and sus-
picious-lookng animals to the uninspectcd
establishments where they are slaught-
cred for the local market says the report.
MANY cities have an inspection service,
but very few have an adequate force ana
the inspection often consists of merely
examining the meat as offered for sale
in the markets, when 1t is usually lmpos-
sible to detect disease, the evidence of
which have been removed with the Wis
cera or organs" says DIR. Melvin.
Sanitary Conditions bad.
LAS a rule, sanitary conditions are very
bad at uninspected slaughter houses, and
in order to provide real protection against
diseased or unwholesome meat a COM
petent veterinary and sanitary inspection
at the time of slaughter is essential,
Despite the shortcomings of the inspec-
tion, it has many advantages and is pro-
ducing results which are increasing FIR m
year to year, Dr. Melvin shows in his
report. With the new law, steady inn
provement in the sanitation of picking
houses has been brought about and as Il
result there has been a considerable de-
crease in the amount OF meat condemned
In the inspections - ~ I'm
Notwithstanding the efforts 20 give u
competent inspection, the service has been
unjustly attacked, the report asserts. 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 re-
suit of ignorance of conditions or mis-
representation of facts, Thorough invesIi-
cation Of some cases Of ptomaine poisoning
charged to meat proved that in not one
of the instances could the trouble he prop
erly ascribed to that cause. In other
cases typhoid fever had been sfound in
bCnCOlS NuNI6 I6pDIlS VI pbuiihllI poAoNH-
ing were circulated.
Such instances" says DR.. Melvin,
SHOULD be sufficient to show that credence
should not be placed In reports reflectlng
against the meat inspection"
Large Force Employed.
In force OF $500 people engaged in in
specting meat, DR.. Melvin declares 1t
would not he unusual II some one were
found unworthy. All men are liable to
errors in judgment and considering the
immense amount of meat inspected IL It
should happen that meat which should be
condemned were passed the amount was
such an infinitesimal part OF the entire
quantity that It did not affect the value
and the integrity Of the service as a whole,
More than 3eOOOOOO animals were in
spccted at the time of slaughter during the
! fiscal year Just closed and more than
100000 were condemned In whole or In
part. on reinspection more than 25,OO0OOO
pounds of meat and meat products wers
condemned which had become unwhole-
some since inspection at the time oG
slaughter.
The inspection service had an appropria-
tion of 100000 to do business on during
the year and spent S2,SS4OOO