Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-11-14
FOR MUNICIPAL
Slaughter PENS
LEGISLATURES OF KANSAS AND
OKLAHOMA MAY PROVIDE
FOR SUCH A THING.
MODEL BILL IS DRAWN
Al livestock Butchcrcd Outside OF
Government Inspected Plants to
Pass Through Them.

According to local cattle men and
packing house experts bills will be In
troduced during the next two years
in the Oklahoma and Kansas legisla-
tures providing for municipal saugh-
ter houses, through which all live
stock that does not 80 TO packing
plants with government Inspection
must pass before It IL placed on the
market.
Or. J. c. Mahr state commissioner
Of health Of Oklahoma, has received
letter from DR.. \. j. Crumbine OF To-
peka, Kan, secretary OF the Kansas
state board Of health, stating that he
| has assisted in the preparation OF
model bin, incorporating this general
idea, which win be introduced IN the
next Kansas legislature. DR., Crum-
| hine incloses copy Of the proposed
law for the inspection Of the Okla
homa health department.
The bill was prepared by n com
mittee. of which DR.. Crumbine is
chairman, which was selected by the
association Of state and territorial
health boards. The proposed law in
substance. provides that any county
or city of 5000 inhabitants and over
upon petition signed by 500 voters,
shall submit the question of whether
the city or county shall vote bonds
for the construction and operation or
slaughter house, owned by the mu-
fa l.
sorry upon any community to adopt
this plant, but when once adopted all
livestock, not slaughtered under gov
ernment inspection, must be killed ana
prepared for the market in this pub
lie slaughter house. The bill pro-
vides for ante-mortem and post-mor-
tenn inspection by qualified meat in
spectors of the municipality. Penal
ties are fixed for the sale of meats
which do not pass through these mu-
nlcipal slaughter houses or through
plants which have government inspec-
tion.
The Oklahoma health department
has been conducting a campaign for
such a sytem for the last year. L. s.
! Russell, head of the Oklahoma pure
i
food and drug department, has been
giving publicity to the inadequacy OF
the present system In the monthly
bulletins Of the department. AT re-
cent fairs in oklahoma Mr.. Russell
! had as a feature Of the exhibits of the
state health department. a display of
fresh meats showing diseased meats
! that had passed local inspection as II
/ is conducted in oklahoma and also
showing photographs OF the different
processes of federal inspection. The
most lively interest was manifested
on the part of the public in these dis
plays.
AT recent hearing before the Ok
lahoma department certain butchers
| testified that not one butcher out OF
twenty can tell diseased meat when
he sees It. II also was developed at
this hearing that hogs suffering from
! cholera are sometimes sold to slaugh-
ter houses and placed on the market
| for the consumption Of the unsuspect-
ing public.
In Oklahoma many butchers own
their private slaughter houses. Dur,
ing recent inspection tour conducted
| bv the Oklahoma health department
! It was found that over 10 per cent
Of these were in such bad sanitary
condition that they were ordered
closed by the inspectors until they
could be brought up to the proper
sanitary requirements. Meats In ok
lahoma. that are not killed In plants
with government inspection, are not
subjected to a post mortem inspection
and II the disease is not discovered
In the animal while on foot the un-
sanitary meat is placed on the market
and sold to the public.
Government inspectors recently tes-
tified at one Of the hearings OF the
Oklahoma department that II Is I'M
posslhle at times to discover diseases
I'm animals while alive and that post
mortem examination often is necessary
in order to protect the public from
diseased meats The correctness of
this position is proven by the large
amount Of meat that is condemned In
every packing house upon post-mor-
TEN examination. where such inspec-
| ton is provided.
The state board Of agriculture has
meat inspectors in each county Of the
| state who make ante-mortem inspec-
! tions. The board attempts to secure
men who are trained to discover dis
eases in live animals, but as no pro-
| vision is made for post-mortem In
spections. diseases that can not be
discovered on foot are passed over.
The oklahoma state health depart
mcnt will have bill introduced In the
next Oklahoma legislature providing
for municipal slaughter houses ana
ante and post -mortem Inspection OF
meats. The department expects much
opposition. as the general public has
not yet been educated TO the need OF
such inspection. As "A result gem
oral campaign OF education is being
conducted boy the oklahoma depart
ment L. S Russell. head Of the pure
food and drug department. Is writing
to the health departments OF each
state In the union asking for sugges-
tions and also is contemplating cor
respondence with leading munlcipali-
ties OF Germany and other European
countries whtre municipal slaughter
houses are in operation. The depart
ment finds many good features In the