614 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. LX>C. 



a very effective aid toward bettering conditions in the local slaugh- 

 ter houses of the state and have accomplished a surprising amount 

 of good. 



I dou't think it is necessary to describe to you the conditions 

 in some of the local slaughter houses. You have no doubt seen 

 some of them and may have been disgusted by what you have seen, 

 and no benefit is to be derived from repeating that feeling of disgust. 

 Some of them, as you know, have been conducted in the most 

 disreputable way, and these disreputable establishments have been 

 competing with the slaughterers who have been trying to furnish 

 pure meat to their customers. If, for instance, there is in a locality 

 a certain slaughter house which slaughters diseased animals, and 

 sells them at the lowest possible price, of course, such a man will 

 be able to undersell the man who slaughters healthy animals and 

 keeps his place in first class condition. It is partly for the purpose 

 of protecting the reputable slaughterers that the meat hygiene 

 service is now being conducted. 



It is important for the meat producers of Pennsylvania that this 

 shall be done. The farmers of Pennsylvania have a large supply 

 of meat-producing animals, but this supply should be larger. It is 

 essential for the producer in Pennsylvania and for the growth of 

 meat production that there be a good home market for these ani- 

 mals. We cannot have a good local market for them unless they 

 are strong, reputable business men engaged in the local slaughter- 

 ing trade. And a fair amount of competition is necessary so that 

 the producer can get a good price for his product. In other words, 

 the local market for meat producing animals is bound to decline 

 if the local slaughtering business declines. Hence, it is not alone 

 to protect the slaughterer, but to protect the farmers of the State, 

 that this meat hygiene service is being conducted. 



Just what, or how marked, the effect will be, cannot yet be said. 

 The law has been in operation only a short time. There already 

 is a spirit of encouragement among the better and more progressive 

 element of the trade as a result of the work that has been directed 

 against unclean and disreputable establishments. Many of the 

 better local slaughter houses are enlarging, improving and are pre- 

 paring to do more business. All of the results so far are in the 

 interest of the public health and the local meat-producer — the in- 

 terests we wish to conserve and advance. 



THE PENNSYLVANIA STALLION LAW. 



By PROFESSOR CARL, W. GAY, Philadelphia, Pa. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen: I am very glad to have this 

 opportunity of addressing you on a subject of much importance to 

 a great many of us. This is your law, originating in your Associa- 

 tion and passed very largely through the effort of its members, 

 therefore I want to discuss it with you and know to what extent 

 its operation, to date, meets with your approval. 



By the act of the legislature which was approved by the Gov- 

 ernor the 25th of last April the stallion owner is required to more 

 than to simply record his horse with the prothouotary as has been 

 the case heretofore. Since January 1st it has been required by 



