64 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
such great importance that any one who is connected with the 
performance of this duty may certainly be called a benefactor 
to the community. I will admit that it has not been estab¬ 
lished very long, but when we consider how short a period 
meat inspection has been in vogue in this country the success 
is gratifying ; for it is only a short time ago that positions which 
are now held by the most qualified men were in the hands of 
politicians, who were ridiculed by all scientific men. It is sur¬ 
prising to those who have observed the short space of time in 
which inspection of meat has outgrown the prejudice of the 
people,—for we can certainly say that since the civil service has 
been established these very important positions are held by the 
best men in the country; and probably there is no branch of 
the veterinary profession which has made such rapid progress, 
and which has been so appreciated by the people as this one 
branch. It would certainly be interesting to many people to 
know how this large organization of men are systematically 
working and accomplishing so much good to the country, both 
from an economical and sanitary standpoint. I have omitted 
the statistical data, which can be found in the Yearbook of the 
U. S. Department of Agriculture for 1898, which exhibits in¬ 
teresting data on this subject. I can safely say, without any . 
malice toward the European inspectors, that they are not as 
well organized, nor could they perform the vast amount of 
work that is being performed by our inspectors in this country. 
We read to-day a great deal about meat inspection and especially 
from European sources, but allow me to tell you that it must 
be admitted—and would be privately admitted by the best men 
in Europe—that our corps of inspection is as efficient, and our 
system of inspection as perfect, as any in the world. With the 
system that prevails in Europe we could never in this busy 
country of ours complete the examination of the hundreds of 
thousands of animals that are being inspected. We must cer¬ 
tainly admit that they have some very prominent men in this 
branch of work : such men as Ostertag, Simmons, Eong, Fis- 
choeder, and ever so many others. In Europe each province, 
district and locality has supervision over its own inspectors, and 
the chief is not directly responsible for his subordinates. The 
entire corps of inspectors—no matter if they are engaged in an 
abattoir in the southern part of Germany or in the northern 
part of Prussia, are only responsible to their community and not 
responsible to the Federal government. For this reason they 
have special periodicals on municipal meat inspection which 
