SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
907 
their influence in securing the proper inspection of these pro¬ 
ducts. It behooves the city officials and the veterinarians as 
sanitarians to exercise their most energetic influence in awaken¬ 
ing the minds of the people to the dangers thus lurking in the 
meat and milk supply and from the dangerous power the milk 
supply of our city exercises in acting as the vehicle of transpor¬ 
tation of such diseases as tuberculosis, diphtheria, typhoid and 
scarlet fever and many other diseases. 
Under the present existing circumstances we have slaughter¬ 
ing establishments owned by butchers who buy their stock for 
slaughter where they choose and they are beyond the reach of 
the federal authorities. Why ? Because government inspec¬ 
tion only applies to abattoirs having an interstate trade. These 
parties say they are only supplying the local and State trade 
and are therefore at perfect liberty to buy and slaughter any 
kind of stock they choose, be it healthy, or crippled or diseased. 
Here State and municipal laws come into conflict, if any law 
exists. These places have been visited by the writer and the 
unspeakable filth and lack of all cleanliness points them out as 
sources of disease and a standing menace to the consumer of 
meats slaughtered there, without consideration of class of 
animals killed. It is true there are exceptions to the rule, but 
they are very few. 
If any adequate reason ever existed for federal meat inspec¬ 
tion the same reasons are of equal force as applying to State 
and municipal inspection. For this inspection to be complete 
a man who is a graduate veterinarian should have charge of in¬ 
spection of animals killed or offered for slaughter, and the 
stamp or official seal of soundness should be affixed to his 
products so it will be free from all suspicion of disease and 
stand equally as good before the public as meats from abattoirs 
licensed by the United States authorities. It is said no law is 
stronger than the public opinion behind it. I feel confident 
public opinion in this city will be forceful enough to sustain 
all municipal legislation on this subject. 
Next the veterinarian appointed to enforce the ordinance 
should be a member of the board of health, for it certainly is a 
matter concerning the health of many people. He thus has 
representative men to enforce his decisions. Again, it is not a 
question of politics, but of efficiency, and should be free from 
politics. He should receive a salary commensurate with his 
services and should devote his time to the work alone with 
other duties that will properly come within his province. The 
