790 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
The speaker here mentioned some of the diseases which are 
met with in licensed abattoirs. He resumed : 
During the year 1897 in the cities of the United States that 
have municipal inspection there were 641 cattle, 1527 sheep, 
40 calves and 2081 hogs that had been rejected in the stock 
yards by officers of the Bureau of Animal Industry. When we 
know that there are only thirty-three cities where governmental 
inspection is practised, and in some instances, at least some of 
these thirty-three, are without municipal inspection, we can see 
what an open door for fraud exists. The animals killed and 
condemned were by municipal authority. In the absence of 
such authority the owner of stock that is diseased would natu¬ 
rally avoid sale where federal inspection would condemn the dis¬ 
eased animals, and the open door of unregulated slaughter 
houses in the towns would be his easy opportunity. Even with 
the most rigid care the love of money prompted by avarice will 
try to evade all law, regardless of human life or comfort. 
If such rascality is practised so openly where there are state 
laws, what could we expect with the “open door” for all? I 
do not charge all butchers with willful criminality, for there are 
many just and honest men, but the fact remains that leaving 
inspection to him assumes knowledge on the part of the butcher 
that he does not possess, and makes him responsible for condi¬ 
tions he is not able to recognize. What is the remedy for the 
“ open door ” to the public slaughter houses in towns and cities ! 
Obviously municipal control and regulation of all animals 
slaughtered, and their products. How is this to be done? 
Cities have the power to pass such ordinances as will cover 
every needed point. I cannot at this time specify the different 
plans by which every local butcher is protected from loss in his 
business and the stamp or official seal of soundness be affixed to 
his products so it will be freed from all suspicion of disease and 
stand equally as good before the public as the meats from abat¬ 
toirs licensed by the United States authorities. For this inspec¬ 
tion to be complete a man who is an educated veterinarian 
should have charge of inspection of all animals killed or offered 
for slaughter. The application of the rules of the B. A. I. to 
municipal inspection in the form of city ordinance will cover 
the case. It is said no law is stronger than public opinion be¬ 
hind it. I feel confident public opinion in any city will be 
forceful enough to sustain all municipal legislation on that sub¬ 
ject. Next the veterinarian appointed to enforce the ordinance 
should be a member of the Board of Health, for it certainly is 
