SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
57 
the poorer class of people who are compelled to bii3^ cheap meat or go 
without. In this manner sickness and the death rate are materially in¬ 
creased. 
To give 3^011 an idea of some of the common practices I will cite the 
following : A farmer has one or a number of sick cows that he fears 
may die, he therefore slaughters them and ships the meat to a New York 
commission merchant, who sells it for his account, or he may sell or 
trade the cattle to a drover, who follows the same course. Under the 
present conditions. New York offers an excellent market for the sale of 
such meat. No matter how perfect or rigid an inspection is carried on 
in our cit3% we can never guarantee the inhabitants pure and wholesome 
meat until the sanitar3^ authorities exclude uninspected meat. 
To better appreciate the relation and the duties of the vetprinarian to 
the public health, I have prepared the following summary : 
Milk Inspection .—This should include : i.—The testing with tuber¬ 
culin of all cows suppl3’ing milk to the city. This includes tagging for 
identification. 2.—The inspection of cows for other diseases or con¬ 
ditions that might render the milk unfit for use. 3.—-The examination 
of water used for drinking and for cleansing utensils. 4.—The inspec¬ 
tion of food. 5.—The inspection of stables. This includes arrangement 
of stalls, air space, ventilation, drainage, cleanliness, etc. 6.—The care 
of animals. This includes the grooming, exercising, care of hoofs, etc. 
7.—The care of utensils used in milking. These should either be 
washed in boiling water containing soda or potash, or, better still, steril¬ 
ized. 8.—Inspection of dairy employes. Particular attention should 
be paid as to the cleanliness of the hands and clothes of attendants and 
the3" should not under any circumstance be employed if the3^ have been 
in contact with or themselves have any infectious or contagious disease. 
9.—The care and handling of milk. Milk should not be exposed and 
while cooling should be covered with a layer of cotton between two 
pieces of wire gauze, this will allow evaporation, and prevent infection. 
All milk bottles should be sterilized, and should be filled and sealed un¬ 
der antiseptic precautions. 
Inspection of ariinials ivithin the city limits. —This includes— A —The 
physical examination of all animals for contagions and infectious dis¬ 
eases, many of which may be transmitted to human beings. The most 
dangerous of these are the following ; hi cattle —tuberculosis. In horses 
and mules —glanders and farcy. In sivine —cholera and trichinosis. In 
sheep —anthrax. In dogs —hydrophobia. B —The testing of cattle with 
tuberculin for the detection of tuberculosis. This includes the tagging 
for identification. C —The testing of horses and mules with mallein for 
the detection of glanders and farcy. D —The examination of meat-pro¬ 
ducing animals at slaughter-houses before they are killed. This ig im¬ 
portant because there are some conditions as fever, fatigue, exhaustion, 
starvation, and excitement, affecting the quality of the meat that can¬ 
not be detected after the animal has been slaughtered. E —The inspec¬ 
tion of animals*entering the cit3' stock yards, freight and express depots, 
boat landings, and slaughter-houses. F —The transportation of animals. 
This includes driving or carting animals through the city ; disinfection 
of trucks, etc. 
Inspection of meat .—This includes the inspection of the meat of ani¬ 
mals killed. A —Outside of the city limits. B —At slaughter-houses. 
