50 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. I, No. i 
cellulosae, and hence transmissible to man. Under American regula¬ 
tions concerning Cysticercus cellulosae, necessarily more stringent than 
the German regulations because of the absence of a Freibank in our 
system of handling meats, no sheep carcass affected with measles even 
in the slightest degree could be passed for food if the sheep parasite were 
Cysticercus cellulosae . The demonstration of the fact that the muscle 
cysticercus of sheep is not Cysticercus cellulosae and that it is not trans¬ 
missible to man therefore means that many thousands of sheep carcasses 
which would otherwise go unnecessarily to the tallow or condemned tank 
are saved for food, and thus fortunately one of the factors involved in 
diminishing our already too slender meat supply has been eliminated. 
Even during the year 1912, when the prevalence of sheep measles was 
first recognized and before the inspection for Cysticercus ovis had been 
developed to an efficient stage, the money value of sheep carcasses 
retained on account of measles amounted to nearly $ 100,000. 
The person who kills mutton for his own use need not be so critical 
nor so strict with reference to sheep measles as the official meat inspector. 
The latter, in the absence of legal provision for a Freibank where meat 
not dangerous to human health but of inferior grade can be sold, has to 
exclude a great deal of meat from the market which is fit for food under 
certain conditions, though it can not properly be passed on the same 
basis as meat unconditionally fit for food. Home-dressed sheep car¬ 
casses, therefore, even though infested in a higher degree than would be 
permitted in carcasses which may pass for food under the Federal meat- 
inspection regulations may better be utilized for food than wasted, 
although here the individual will largely be governed by his own feelings 
in the matter, by his squeamishness or lack of it. Such carcasses, how¬ 
ever, should not be sold, at least not without declaration of their nature, 
as they are obviously of less value than carcasses which are free from 
infestation. 
So far as its detrimental effect on account of the presence of Cysticercus 
ovis is concerned, measly mutton may be eaten with impunity unless 
the parasites are very numerous or have produced a watery condition or 
discoloration of the meat, in which case the carcass should be discarded 
even though the prospective consumer may have no objections to the 
meat from an esthetic standpoint. In order that further propagation of 
the parasites may be avoided, a measly sheep carcass discarded from use 
as human food should not be fed to dogs unless it is first cut into small 
pieces not exceeding 2 or 3 pounds each and thoroughly boiled. 
SURVIVAL OF CYSTICERCUS OVIS AFTER DEATH OF HOST 
The length of time Cysticercus ovis may survive after the death of its 
host has not been determined. It will, however, live at least six days. 
Cysticerci in portions of a carcass shipped from Chicago on March 25, 
1913, presumably the day of slaughter, and received in Washington on 
