The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-10
Affected Glands Are Re-
moved and Remainder Of
Carcass Is Good, Says
Nelson
CITY LAWS MODELLED
AFTER THOSE USED
BY THE GOVERNMENT
Health Officials State Grave injustice
Is Being Done Them by Aglta-
tion-Hearing Before Judge
Lane One Day This Week.
To Take Evidence

CITY Health Officer DR.. Robert Nelson,
City Bacteriologist Il. NJ. Duncan
and other members of the city health
department stated emphatically yester-
day that there was no danger to the
public through tubercular cows being
sold for food.
They state that grave ihJus.ice is
being done them and to the health de-
partment by the charges recently MADE
by Judge Zell CASTOR and that the
publication of the charges viii arouHe
the public and make everybody AFRAID
of every bit of meat that is bought
when. as a matter of fact, there is no
danger
Judge castor appeared before the
city commission last Friday as ator-
ney for the dairyinen's association To
SIX for n reimbursement of the dairy
men for the loss they received through
the condemnation of tubercular cows
by the city health officers. incidental
ly, he mentioned tnat tubercular cows
were sold for meat and food purposes,
but were condemned for milk purposes
and the charges have created consd-
erable excitement not only among city
officials but among the citizens.
Hearing This Week
some day this week." Judge Lane
said yesterday, the hearing of all evil
dence on both sides of this question
will be held in my office and we will
get at the facts
Commissioner Lane will ask Judge
CASTOR and the dairymen whom Mr.
CASTOR declares can prove his charge
to appear before him and state what
they know. and on the other hand he
will receive reports from Bacteriologist
Duncan and other health officials
Judge Lane will then report to the
other commissioners and any action
that he recommends will be taken.
Judge Lane has stated that he believes
there Is mistake somewhere and that
Judge CASTOR has been misinformed.
"The whole thing is doing an indie
scribable amount of harm and abso-
lutely no good" said DIR. Nelson yes
terday. 81 believe in the cobbler stick
ing to his own trade. Judge CASTOR
may know all about law. but he doesn't
know what he's talking about in this
matter.
"Our city laws in this regard are
based on the laws of the federal gov.
ernment. Federal inspected meat goes
through exactly the same process as
we follow The agitation is placing the
health department and it's officials in
a false light; 1T is stirring up public
sentiment over absolutely nothing. The
people will become suspicion over ev-
1T Of fbat txh har
is absolutely no ground for any such
suspicion. There is not a physician in
town but who will back me up in what
say.
Tubercular Cows Used for Food
"Tubercular cows are used for food
not only here, but everywhere else, and
under the sanction of the federal gov
ernment health experts. The affected
glands of the animal are removed and
the remainder of the carcass used for
meat, and there Is not the slightest
danger in so using It,"
Judge CASTOR Is talking about some
thing he does not know anything
about" said Mr.. Duncan. 1--WE admit
that tubercular cows are used for food
purposes but there is nothing startling
In that admission. Judge CASTOR misun-
derstands the matter and without set
ting himself right he starts public
agitation that may do immense harm
and no good.
when we find COW affected with
tuberculosis in the slightest degree she
Is condemned. Unless that COW is ema-
ciated and the disease hig...y developed
we do not destroy her carcass at once
Under our supervision she is killed and
goes through a post mortem examina-
ton. If the COW was healthy and strong
and in the post mortem examination
we find that there are only few
glands affected, the remainder of the
carcass is allowed to be sold for
meat.
Claims Misunderstanding
''Now, right here is where mis-
understanding has entered into the
argument. The glands which we usu-
ally find affected in a COW of this
kind are the lymphatic glands. the
liver, the kidneys or some such part
of the animal which comes away with
the viscera. When there are any of the
glands of the muscles affected the COW
is not used for food. This Is the set of
rules followed by the federal govern
ment meat inspectors and which pre-
walls all over the country. Many car
casses, some part of which is diseased,
can ne used for food by separating 'he
affected parts.
"All of these facts will be brought
out in the investigation before Judge