1868-9.] 
CITY DOCUMENT. 
[No. 12. 
THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE. 
A COMMUNICATION FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF 
HEALTH IN RELATION TO THE INSPECTION OF ANIMAL 
FOOD. 
(Presented to the Board of Aldermen, August 31, 1868.1 
Office of the Superintendent of Health, ) 
Providence, August 31, 1868. ) 
To the Honorable the Board of Aidermen : 
Gentlemen-I suppose there is no doubt of the power of 
the Board of Aidermen, acting as the Board of Health, to 
order an inspection of all the meat sold in the city, and to de- 
stroy all that may be found to be diseased or unfit for food. 
My opinion is, and has long been, decided, that the exercise 
of this power would be a great blessing to the people and would 
prevent disease, in some degree, among them. That a consid- 
erable percentage of the animals killed for food is diseased and 
unfit for this use, is a fact well known to all who have made 
themselves familiar with the subject. Were it for the interest 
of the butchers to reveal the whole truth on this subject, the 
revelation would surprise and astonish the people. 2 
INSPECTION OF ANIMAL FOOD. 
In addition to the disease found among animals that have the 
best of care, there is good reason to believe that serious disease 
is caused by the manner in which animals are transported from 
the Western country ; and where no actual disease is induced, 
it is extremely probable that the thirst and hunger, and mental 
disturbance, and bodily bruises that the animals endure in their 
transportation render their flesh utterly unfit for immediate use 
as food. 
This view of the necessity for an inspection of the meat used 
for food is also confirmed by the facts relating to the slaughter- 
ing of cattle by the Hebrews. Notwithstanding the greatest 
care in the selection of the animals when alive, the Hebrews 
reject the flesh of ten per cent, or more of all the animals they 
kill. It may not be necessary to say that all the flesh of animals 
rejected by the Hebrews, in this city as well as elsewhere, is 
sold to the Gentiles and is eaten by them. 
I would place, then, the necessity for the inspection of animal 
food upon facts long known and of every day occurrence, and 
not upon the temporary excitement caused by the recent trans- 
portation of diseased animals from the West. So far as that 
disease is concerned, I do not anticipate any serious danger to 
the people of Providence, as it is probable that the precautions 
taken at the West and in other more Eastern States will pre- 
vent the further transportation of that disease to this city. 
But a moment's reflection will show that to provide for a 
thorough inspection of all the animal food consumed in a city, 
is a task of no inconsiderable magnitude. If undertaken, it 
should be thorough and effectual, and the arrangements should 
be carefully made, so as to interfere as little as possible with 
the business, and so as to cause as little expense as possible to 
the people. 
There are from two hundred and fifty to three hun- 
dred beef cattle killed within the limits of the city every 
week. In addition to these there are several hundreds of sheep 
and lambs, and hogs and calves, making in all an average of 
more than one thousand animals killed every week, or nearly 
one hundred and seventy-five every week-day. INSPECTION OF ANIMAL FOOD. 
3 
The thorough inspection of these animals when alive, and 
particularly of their flesh and internal organs after they are killed, 
would be difficult if not impossible for one man, though he 
might labor diligently more than ten hours daily. 
But besides the animals killed within the limits of the city 
a certain amount of animal food is brought into the city every 
week from neighboring towns. This amount is variously esti- 
mated to be from one-tenth to one fourth of all that is consumed 
in the city. The portion of this supply that is regular, comes 
chiefly from North Providence and from Cumberland, though 
at some seasons a large amount is brought into the city from 
other towns, and even from beyond the limits of the state. 
It is plain that the complete protection of the people from 
diseased animal food would require stringent regulations in re- 
lation to the supply that is brought from beyond our limits. 
Unless this source of supply was attended to and regulated, we 
might expect that soon the same animals that would be reject- 
ed if brought into the city alive, would be slaughtered beyond 
the city limits and brought here dead, to be sold as food. One 
of our morning papers of this date states that there is consider- 
able sickness in Central Falls, supposed to be caused by diseased 
meat. Whether this supposition be true or not, we are 
liable to receive diseased meat from the same sources that Cen- 
tral Falls and other neighboring villages receive it. 
The inspection of animal food, to be carried out effectually, 
would require a carefully considered and definitely expressed 
code of rules, by which it should be governed, regulating not 
only the inspection itself, but also the disposition of the meat 
that should be rejected, and placing suitable and effectual marks 
upon that which is permitted to be sold. 
The selection of the person by whom the inspection should 
be made would not be so easy as at first thought might be sup- 
posed. The knowledge of an experienced butcher would be 
valuable in judging of the size and general appearance of the 
internal organs ; but to judge correctly of the changes made by 
disease, and of the character of the disease, and of its effects 
upon the flesh of the animals considered as food, it is evident 4 
INSPECTION OF ANIMAL FOOD. 
that the services of a well informed physician, and of one expe- 
rienced in the observation of post-mortem appearances, would 
be necessary. 
I mention these difficulties connected with the subject, not to 
discourage the idea of providing for the inspection of animal 
food. On the contrary, every word I write, and every day's 
experience, particularly during the last month, have confirmed 
and more than confirmed the opinion that I have fully believed 
for years, that no animal flesh should be sold for food unless it 
has been carefully and thoroughly inspected and shown to be 
in a healthy condition. I have no doubt that the regulations 
established by Moses, long ages ago, for the guidance of the 
children of Israel, rejecting certain kinds of animal food and 
providing for the careful inspection of others, were founded upon 
correct principles and upon more than human knowledge, and 
that they are correct and important even at the present day to 
Gentile as well as to Jew. 
But I name these difficulties rather to show the great impor- 
tance of the subject, and the necessity for a careful preparation 
and consideration of the rules by which an inspection of animal 
food should be governed. 
With this view of the subject it will be evident that I could 
not prepare, in the brief period since the subject was named in 
your board, a code of rules that would be satisfactory to my- 
self, or that would operate for the best good of the people. I 
would wish more time for consideration, and more knowledge 
of the subject. 
In the particular disease that is causing so much excitement 
at the present time in New York and at the west, the changes 
made in certain internal organs are so marked that it would be 
easy and would require but little time to make sufficient in- 
spection to recognize it. I understand that an inspection of 
slaughtered animals, probably with sole reference to this dis- 
ease, has been established at Brighton, Mass., and also at the 
large " abbatoirs " at Communipaw, in New Jersey. A skill- 
ful physician has been appointed by the Metropolitan Board of 
Health in New York, as Inspector, and he is also clothed with INSPECTION OF ANIMAL FOOD. 
5 
authority from the State Commission upon the cattle disease by 
which he is enabled to do much, and is doing much to prevent 
the sale of the flesh of diseased animals in New York city. 
The only recommendation I am prepared to make at this time 
is that the Mayor be authorized to employ such assistance as I 
may need in examining the animals of different kinds as they 
arrive in the cars, in inspecting them from day to day until 
they are killed, and in inspecting the meat and internal organs 
after they are killed. 
In the meantime I will obtain more information in relation to 
the subject, and especially in regard to the animals that are 
slaughtered in the neighboring towns and are brought to the 
city ; and in relation to the mode and rules of the inspection in 
other places. It is my sincere desire that the investigation of 
the matter by your board may result in a permanent system of 
thorough inspection of all animal food that is offered for sale 
in our city. 
Respectfully, 
EDWIN M. SNOW, M. D., 
Superintendent of Health.