Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-05-31
ARE YOU BUYING TUBERCULAR
MEAT?

condemned cattle were taken to Bur-
lington and slaughtered as is custom
airy. and it developed after that por-
ton of the meat from the condemned
cattle was sold to the public by Swift
& Co. The Brandon Union took the
matter up, giving the facts. which
resulted in more discussion. The
Randolph Herald took up the cause,
addressing letter to various state
officials to find who was to blame for
this condition of affairs. The burden
finally fell upon Cattle Commissioner
Davis, to whom the Herald addressed
a series of questions after receiving
a partial reply to queries. The ques-
lions were reprinted in several pa
pers. Through the columns of the
Burlington Suburban List of papers
the questions reached an official, who
replied to them in the following let
ter:
Editor Burlington Suburban List -
| noticed in this weeks issue of
your paper a reprint of the questions
er by the Randolph Herald and News,
with the request that they be an.
swered by some authority. | do not
think it was the intention Of the cat
tie commissioner to "duck" these
questions.
The governor can not be expected
to have knowledge of the technical
details of this work, and must neces-
sarily leave them to the cattle CON-
missioner and this department. Mr..
Davis would be the last man to wish
to cover up anything, if there was
anything to cover up. Both he and
myself wish the utmost publicity CIV
en- this matter, and the truth known
and fully unders TODD, but in view of
the very unfair statement made by
certain papers, notably the Brandon
Union, he probably felt that further
newspaper discussion was undesir-
able. However | think the questions
are pertinent and if you consider me
a proper person to answer them will
gladly do so to the best of my ability.
l. How many and what states that
pay state indemnity for condemned
tuberculous cattle as Vermont does,
follow similar method in disposing
of the meat or carcasses?
New York, Massachusetts, Wiscon-
sin, the District OF Columbia, and
several other states the names of
which am not perfectly sure so
will not attempt to give you at this
time.
2. Describe briefly the process by
which the meat that is considered
salable is separated from that which
is not.
Carcasses of animals in which the
disease is inactive and the LESSONS
slight and thoroughly localized in Wis.,
cera glands or organs are passed for
food. Carcasses Of animals in which
the disease is active or has become
generalized or located in glands which
drain muscular tissue are condemned.
8. Who are the purchasers?
Anyone who may care to buy the
meat. 1t may be considered that this
answer is evasive. 1t is not so in
tended. If the question was intended
to bring out the names of individual
buyers it is not pertinent, for that is
their own private business.
4. How is the good beef disposed
of whether by the rendering COM
pany or by state oficials2
AS I understand it. it is sold by the
Rendering Company for the account
of the state Of Vermont.
5. Is it offered for sale in this
state?
Yes, some Of it.
6. Are the prices realized for it by
the state the prices that ordinarily
obtain for good beef. or are they
less?
This meat is sold at the prevailing
market price for meat of that grade.
1t should be understood that the meat
of dairy animal is not of as good
quality as that of beef ANIMAL, anc
that many of these cattle are not ir
prime condition as they have not beer
fatted. .......
Z. What proportion of the con
demned cattle are sold as beef on tn
average, after inspection?
About forty per cent.
8. Is the beef, when offered to tn
public, marked in any way so tina
the purchaser may know its history?
No.
9. If not. what objection can 70
see to having it so marked.
The state of Vermont. ownin
them, can mark them in any name
it sees fit, providing the marking
not Of such nature as to conflict wit
the assertion of the federal meat il
spection service that the meat is al
solutely wholesome and free from di
ease. If it were so marked as to col
f1ict with this assertion / do not thin
this department would permit the US
of the federal meat inspection lab
on the meat, nor sanction its -inspe
ton. ,t1e1.,'r
There is this objection to markin
this meat; that it would tend
cause an unreasonable discriminate
against a perfectly wholesome pro-
uct in view Of the present lack {
knowledge of the subject.
can best illustrate that by quotir
another disease. We find not infre
quently in the livers of ANNA
slaughtered for food the cyst of
certain tape worm. No one won
possibly assert that because of tt
presence Of this tape worm cyst
the liver the remainder of the carca
was unfit for food, yet supposing Il
carcass were marked; 1.-THE liver