36 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



to the dairymen of the State that the State Board of Agriculure will 

 undertake a veterinary inspection of their herds, including the tuber- 

 culin test, upon their request, without cost to them. A good many 

 more applications from cattle men have been received for this test than 

 we have been able to answer up to the present time, and it will be 

 necessary for the Board to employ competent help to do this line of 

 work which we are able to do with our present supply of funds. While 

 the application of the tuberculin test is apparently a very simple 

 matter it is necessary, in order to be sure of making a success, to em- 

 ploy the most skillful man that it is possible for us to get to assist in 

 doing this work. Conditions arise in connection with the test which 

 requires the veterinarian using it to have not only an intimate knowledge 

 of the nature of cattle but of the various temperatures and of the 

 symptoms that animals show as the effect of other diseases. 



CENTRAL SLAUGHTER HOUSES. 



While the matter may not be strictly in line with the preventing of 

 contagious diseases among live stock, the question of sooner or later pro- 

 viding for a system of inspection of meat and milk in the larger towns 

 of the State seems to be an important one. Nothing could be more 

 beneficial by way of promoting the live stock interest of the State 

 than the assurance on the pari of the public that our meat was whole- 

 some and free from disease. Investigations of the matter at the 

 present 'time will show that the meat which is slaughtered at home 

 towns, say of 4,000 inhabitants, is often killed at as many as three or 

 four or even a half dozen little slaughter houses located some distance 

 away from town. As a rule the country slaughter houses are so filthy 

 as to be considered a nuisance, and are not usually permitted to be 

 maintained within or near the city limits. There is usually not enough 

 of killing at any one of these houses to justify the owner in keeping 

 it clean. Any one who will take the trouble to investigate the matter 

 will find that even though healthy animals are slaughtered at these 

 places, it is next to impossible to dress the carcass without them be- 

 coming more or less filthy. In addition to this, there is no restraint 

 whatever at such slaughtering houses upon the killing of diseased stock. 

 During the past year there were 150 cars of hogs sent to the public 

 markets from this State diseased with cholera. Lumpy jaw and tubercu- 

 losis and other diseases which would render meat unfit for use are 

 more or less prevalent over the State. There is no telling how much 

 of this diseased stuff is killed at the country slaughtering houses. 

 As they are conducted at the present time, there is no greater argument 

 for the use of dressed meat which comes from the trust packing houses, 



