MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP OF SLAUGHTER HOUSES. 
183 
phasized. More than this, it is known that many parasites are 
transmitted to man through meat, and it is known that meat is 
composed of fragile compounds that change feadily and render 
meat irritant or toxic unless it is handled in a cleanly, careful 
way and is kept at a proper temperature. This need for meat 
inspection is greatest in the portions of the country that have 
the largest proportion of diseased and worn-out animals that are 
unfit to become part of the people’s food supply. 
The need for meat inspection is as great in the eastern part 
of the United States as it is in many parts of Europe, where 
it is carried out with the greatest degree of thoroughness and 
> 
care. 
The early meat inspectors of Germany labored under the 
disadvantage that the meat inspectors of Philadelphia are now 
forced to encounter. It was soon found, however, that these 
disadvantages were great enough to prevent meat inspection 
from making the important contribution to the cause of public 
health that was expected of it and, after many experiments and 
much thought, the plan was adopted by about 600 cities, of 
causing the business of preparing meat-producing animals for 
food to unite in central establishments, usually the property of 
the municipality. 
The system of municipal slaughter-houses is now so well es¬ 
tablished in Germany that every city that makes any pretense 
to progress is supplied with one of these important adjuncts to 
its sanitary system. Where the cities do not own slaughter¬ 
houses, they regulate the business of slaughtering in private 
slaughter-houses by requiring these establishments to meet a 
certain standard, and they prescribe the time during which ani¬ 
mals may be killed for food, so that the official inspectors may 
be 011 hand to examine every animal and carcass. Where the 
city owns the slaughter-house it requires all slaughtering car¬ 
ried on within its limits to be done in this one establishment. 
Thus, slaughtering-houses are under the constant supervision 
of veterinarians, and all meat-producing animals are examined 
during life and again at the time they are killed and dressed. 
