120 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



These agents are engaged entirely in meat hygiene work. Most of their 

 time, at present, is being devoted to a systematic examination of all the 

 slaughter houses of the State. The purpose of these visits is to ascertain and 

 point out such defects as may be found in the construction, care and equip- 

 ment of the establishments. So far as possible, visits are made to slaughter 

 houses when slaughtering is in progress and the animals being killed are ex- 

 amined. Moreover, markets are visited with the view of investigating their 

 conditions and improving them, if requisite. 



The work is too young to justify a statement as to its effect on the public 

 health and the meat trade. It' is being received favorably by the public and 

 by the well meaning slaughterers and butchers. A great many more or less 

 serious insanitary conditions have been found. Many of these have been due 

 to ignorance rather than to wilful neglect or design. Owners are usually 

 willing to act upon the recommendation of the agents, and advice and criti- 

 cism is usually received in the same friendly spirit in which it is offered. A 

 statistical report as to the operation of this service will be presented in due 

 course. 



Perhaps reference should be made here to the importance of having work of 

 this character conducted by men who are thoroughly informed, not only as to 

 the hygienic and sanitary results that it is desired to attain, but who also un- 

 derstand the technical methods that are practical and feasible and who are in 

 sympathy with the livestock and slaughtering industries as well as with the 

 requirements of public health. The staff of the State Livestock Sanitary Board 

 is impressed by the importance of developing the agricultural and slaughter- 

 ing industries of the State. It would be possible to make regulations so string- 

 ent as to seriously hamper the development of the local slaughtering industries. 

 The effort is to establish such requirements as are demanded in the interest 

 of public health and to endeavor to place the local slaughtering business in 

 position to compete successfully with western competitors. If inspection were 

 confined, as before this State service was founded, to the products of estab- 

 lishments engaged in interstate trade, local establishments would soon lose 

 repucation and their business would dwindle in proportion as reputation de- 

 clines. The establishment of a meat hygiene service, the requirements of 

 which are sufRcient to protect public health and which are attainable to pro- 

 gressive local slaughterers will, it is hoped, have the effect of enlarging the 

 market for home-killed meats and this, in turn, will enlarge the market for 

 food producing animals raised on Pennsylvania farms. 



To show the position that is taken by the State Livestock Sanitary Board 

 with regard to the various problems that enter into the questions of meat hy- 

 giene, the following rules and regulations governing the meat hygiene service 

 are presented. These are adopted by the State Livestock Sanitary Board under 

 authority of the act of Assembly approved May 25th, 1907. (P. L. 187.) 



RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE MEAT HYGIENE 



SERVICE. 



RESPONSIBILITY OF OWNERS, MANAGERS, ETC. 



1. Owners, lessees, occupiers or managers of all abattoirs, slaughtering, 

 packing, meat-canning, meat manufacturing or rendering establishments, and 

 of places or vehicles where meat is prepared, stored, sold, or transported, are 

 required by law to construct, arrange, equip, manage and care for such estab- 

 lishments in such a manner that the meats or meat products therein prepared, 

 stored or sold shall not be injuriously affected as to soundness, healthfulness, 

 or wholesomeness, nor otherwise rendered unfit for human food. The terms 

 "meats" and "meat products," wherever used in these regulations, shall in- 

 clude and apply to all carcasses, or parts of carcasses of cattle, sheep, swine 

 and goats, and the meat or meat food products thereof. 



2. No person, firm or corporation, or any officer or agent of such person, 

 firm or corporation, shall s=eil, offor for sale, expose with intent to sell, or 

 prepare for use as human food, any meat or meat product from an animal 

 that is in such condition that its flesh is unsound, unhealthful, unwholesome 

 or otherwise unfit for human food. Nor shall any unsound, unhealthful or un- 

 wholesome meat or meat product be sold, or offered for sale, or exposed with 

 intent to sell, for use as human food, or be manufactured or prepared for use 

 as liuman food. 



CONSTRUCTION AND SANITATION OF BUILDING. 



3. Buildings used for slaughtering, paekin.g, canning or manufacturing 

 meat or meat products shall not be used as dwellings, or places of residences, 

 nor for any purpose that may have a tendency to affect injuriously the meats 

 or meat products therein prepared. If any part of the building is used as a 

 permanent stable for animals, there shall be no avenue of communlcatien 



