METHODS OF MEAT INSPECTION. 
681 
and it is provided that all animals killed locally shall be 
slaughtered in this establishment. All meat-producing animals 
are examined while living and after they are killed. ""Both in¬ 
spections are made because there are some conditions that can not 
well be detected after the animal is slaughtered, but often have 
an important effect on the quality of the meat, as fever, fatigue, 
exhaustion, starvation, and excitement. After an animal is 
slaughtered, its organs and flesh are examined for evidences of 
disease that are directly transmissible to the consumer j para¬ 
sites that may be injurious, and other conditions which, while 
not directly transmissible in themselves, render the flesh indi¬ 
gestible or toxic, and thus produce digestive disturbances or 
disease, ff'he carcass is also examined for the pur¬ 
pose of discovering conditions that render the meat innutritions 
or offensive, such as chronic wasting diseases, emaciation, old 
age, immaturity, and advanced pregnancy. Moreover, the 
method of slaughtering and handling the dressed meat is super¬ 
vised, and it is seen to that all of the steps are carried out in a 
cleanly manner, and that the meat is not necessarily contami¬ 
nated by carelessness and filthy surroundings. The conditions 
and diseases to be sought for and avoided are so numerous that 
they cannot be discussed at ^eater length in this paper. 
Germany has more than six hundred slaughter-houses be- 
longing to municipalities 5 each of these is under the direction of 
a veterinarian. In most of them there are separate halls for 
slaughtering the different kinds of meat-producing animals 5 one 
each for cattle, sheep, and swine. The butchers in these cities 
pay a reasonable rental and are permitted to use all of the 
facilities provided, and to enjoy the advantages of buildings 
equipped with all possible labor-saving devices and modern 
conveniences. Each slaughter-house has a larg^ cold storage 
: chamber, which can be nsed by the individual butchers upon 
I the payment of a small fee. In this way the butchers who kill 
I but a few animals a week, and cannot afford to equip satisfac- 
3 tory establishments of their own, receive all of the benefits 
enjoyed by those who conduct large businesses. Moreover, their 
