The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-05-11
ADVOCATES CITY
MEAT INSPECTION
OK. BAKER. U. s. INSPECTOR,
TALKS INTERESTINGLY.
W tne Conditions In WheeIlne-Also
seleves That City Should
Have Food Inspection.

Much interest has been manifest
ed locally In the resolution OF Rep
resentative Nelson, OF Wisconsin,
providing for the more rigid inspect
ION OF meats under government sup
erNision. DIR. II. Baker. who is In
charge OF the local district, and who
mas OFFICES at the Schenk packing
plant was seen by a report OF the In
leihgencer yesterday. and talked
very Interestingly on the subject. He
said:
! The government meat inspection
service has been criticised for pass
ing for food purposes the meat OF
animals that are slightly affected
with localized tuberculosis. IL is
sometimes charged that diseased
meat is passed for food. The only
foundation for such statements is
tLat the healthy and wholesome meat
OF an animal affected slightly and
locally with some disease Is passed.
after the affected portion has been
removed and condemned. The meat
or flesh may not be affected in any
particular. the disease being usually
confined to certain glands or organs.
The diseased portion is condemned
and only the healthy portion is pass.
! ed for food
Il believe the people OF Wheeling
should be informed of these matters :"
continued DIR. Baker. who went on tn
say: For instance the lea OF eating
the meat OF the slightly diseased
animal may be repulsive 10 some. but
little consideration should readily
convince a reasonable person that
I thara Ia
and condemning perfectly whole
some meat, simply because there
seems to be somewhere in the animal
gland or organ showing a slight
/ lesion"
the wholesomepess OF an animal
slightly diseased by your inspection
DR.. Baker was asked.
The veterinary inspector. in judg-
Ing whether a carcass is diseased
must do so on the general
Principals Of Pathology
In its relation TO the public health
and not upon any pre-conceived. ex-
aggerated or sentimental idea. The
I cooperation of the public is most val
/ liable in aiding in the suppression OF
frauds in the meat trade, and Il would
| De well for the public 20 have conf
dence in the ability OF the govern
ment inspectors 10 pass judgment on
the purely technical side OF the ques-
ton. as 20 whether slightly diseased
meat was 1T for food"
How many plants are under your
supervision in WheelIng?" was asked
There are eight inspected plants
al the Wheeling station. all OF which
are attended with the inspection pro-
I vided for under government regula-
| tons. IL may be interesting to the
public TO know that there are twelve
paid government INSPECTORS here look
ing after the welfare OF Wheeling
people. but their activity is nscessar-
lily confined to the eight establish
ments referred TO. find cases where
a meat dealer receives government
stamped meats. and they tell me that
On some occasions a customer comes
In and asks that the stamped portion
lie removed from the meat. as he
does not like the looks OF H. At the
same time the customer knows. or
should know and be assured that this
mark IS the guarantee OF its whole
someness. 4 competing meat dealer
may be selling his customers unin-
spected Hent. II may taste all right,
but may contain disease.
| now 90 you UttOIut convinced Oh
What. IN your opinion would be
the proper remedy Off these condi-
tions?" was asked.
l believe. like In many other well
regulated cities, you should have city
meat inspection. which believe TO
believe 20 be fully as important az
government inspection. for the public
should know that while government
inspection at the packing plants in
sures wholesome products. yet there
are many chances for contamination
IN the handling OF meat at the mar
kets.
II an also OF the opinion that city
food inspection Is important"
OF Little Ones.
West Virginia has a pure food law.
but Il seems that very little attent-
ion Is paid 10 q, since the enforce
ment largely depends upon com
paints being made by disinterested
parties. Occasionally. when one
dealer gets it IN" for another. the
law Is invoked. az was the case some
time ago when man back ia the
county was arrested under this law
fer killing and selling diseased beef.
II Is claimed that city inspector. on
the Job all the time, would prevent
man violations OF the state law. and
would have a means Of enforcing the