Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1921-01-21
HOW PACKINGTOwN MEAT IS HANDLED

The American people consume
5,0UO.O00,00O pounds of meat in a
wear, or ut the rate of half pound
a day each. Iwo-thirdS of this is in
Sprctcd by Bureau of Animal Indus
try employees, while the remainder
should be inspected by State or mu-
nicipal men, but, unfortunately. this
Is true only 10 a certain extent.
Modern meat inspection in this
country dates from 1906. Congress
had made but timid inspection laws
About that time President Roose-
welt became Interested in newspaper
reports about activities in packing
towns and he sent two committees
to Chicago to investigate. Their re-
ports convinced him that the things
needed in the law was teeth. After
much sensational argument, every
one seemed to agree, SO Congress
put on the books the stringent act
Of 1906. complete, effective, model
measure, that has worked every
hour since for the protection of the
public against unwholesome food as
we'll as for the development of the
nations live stock industry in re-
moving the prcjudices of foreign
countries against our meat exports.
Fundamentally the law is based
on the principle of interstate trans
portatioh. 1t says that no meat
can cross state unless it bears the
legend, L. S. Inspected and Passed.
TO get this mark the animal must
have been examined twice by Fed
cral scicntists--first alive, then af-
ter killing, when il lies skinned,
headless and discmbowclcd, with
every tclltale membrane. muscle,
and gland open TO pitlcss scrutiny.
Then. If it was picked or smoked
or went into a can or casing. it
must have been prepared without
any harmful preventative, and the
can must have been truthfully lab
cled. Moreover, the slaughter house
huSt have been light, clean, sanitary
the packing rooms like kitchens
and every man or woman who touch
ed the meat must have been clean
and healthy and dressed in clean
clothing.
Under this law, last year the bu-
rcau operated at 500 houses in 260
cities scattered over the country,
chiefly in the Middle West, but cx-
tending to Boston. San Francisco
and New Orleans. II inspected
more than G5,000,00O animals and
watched the preparation of $780,
Ooo,OO0 pounds Of meat products.
OF these ii threw out 22S6OO dis
caScd whole carcasScS. $50. 900 Dorfs
or carcasscS and 100000 pounds
OF products. II did this with $500
employees. two-fifths being profess
Sional rctinarianS and the remand
CT practical mcat-curing men. AT
seven ccntcrS over the country il
had The assistance of its laborator-
les where skilled chemists Drobcd
INTO the problems Of prcservativcs,
spices. wafer and other ingredients.
IL maintained also corps OF highly
framed men, who travelled from
place to place giving each station
an inspection so as to keep the men
up TO the mark and to make the |
whole system uniform throughout
the country.
No. this ought not to add to the
cost OF meat. CarcasSes and parts
for disease arc moi en-
tircly waste. They are cooked in
tanks under high pressure, and the
resulting products used for grease
nSsoap and talIow and for 'fcrtili-
zci'. The real loss is only fraction
Of cent a pound, and that is more
than offset by the efficiency of mod |
ern factory conditions brought |
about by the requirements of the |
law.