No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 113 



in most instances, thus increasing the etiiciency of the work, and the 

 results have at the same time been satisfactory to the local health 

 officials and to the consumers. 



MEAT HYGIE!NE. During the past year the agents of the Meat 

 Hygiene Service have been largely engaged in locating and examin- 

 ing slaughter houses and meat markets, and advising the owners 

 or managers of these establishments with regard to the removal or 

 correction of insanitary conditions or practices. This work has 

 required a great amount of time, especially in the rural districts, 

 where slaughter houses are not always easily discovered and are 

 widely scattered. The agents are to be commended for the results 

 accomplished. 



There has been a very general dispostion among butchers to 

 comply with the regulations of the Board (which were published in 

 the report for 1907), and to correct insanitary conditions and 

 practices. In only a few cases were extreme measures necessary. 

 The most common insanitary condition or practice found at slaugh- 

 ter houses was the feeding of hogs on blood, offal and other refuse. 



In making the sanitary examinations of these establishments, all 

 animals on the premises to be slaughtered, or which were being 

 slaughtered, dressed carcasses, meat cuts, meat products, etc., were 

 examined. On the first visit of the agents to some localities quite 

 a large number of condemnations were made, but there was usually 

 a noticeable decrease in the condemnations on subsequent visits to 

 the same section, showing the wholesome effects of supervision of the 

 meat supply. The diseased conditions found were most varied, the 

 most common being tuberculosis, hog cholera and swine plague, 

 actinomycosis, pneumonia, echinococcus cysts, septicemia, pyemia, 

 pleurisy, and the various parasitic diseases. 406,559 animals were 

 examined before slaughter, of which 1,961 were suspected of disease 

 and held for postmortem examination, 42,150 carcasses of dressed 

 meats, and 14,646,859 pounds of meats and meat products were 

 examined and passed. 1,028 whole carcasses, 223 parts of car- 

 casses, 1,613 organs, and 38,212| pounds of meats and meat products 

 were found to be diseased or unwholesome and were condemned as 

 unsuitable for food. 



It was discovered that in certain parts of the State an extensive 

 trade was being carried on in ''bob veal", calves only a few days old 

 being purchased by dealers and butchers. Owing to the numl3er of 

 men engaged in this business, and the wide scope of territory in 

 which they operated, it was some time before any visible progress 

 was made in suppressing this trade, but the situation was well in 

 hand by the end of the year. Altogether 282 carcasses of immature 

 veal were found and treated in such a manner that they could not 

 be sold for food purposes. The slaughter of a large number of 

 immature calves was prevented until they were of proper age. 



Many complaints were received and investigated regarding the 

 slaughter of diseased animals or of the sale of diseased meats. The 

 Meat Hygiene agents also rendered valuable service in suppressing 

 the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. 



The work accomplished in improving the sanitary conditions in 

 slaughter houses and meat markets will be found in the tables 

 printed below: 



8—7—1908. 



