Proceedings of the quarter-centennial celebration of the establishment of the Michigan State Board of Health : held at Detroit, Michigan, August 9, 1898.

  • Michigan. State Board of Health.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Proceedings of the quarter-centennial celebration of the establishment of the Michigan State Board of Health : held at Detroit, Michigan, August 9, 1898. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    95/102 (page 93)
    i)8 Auutlior public sei-vict! of vast (.iimcnsious wliicli lias boon iiiaiigurated within Ibis period is the inspection at the time of slaughter of animals the meat of which is intended for the interstate or foreign trade. The importance of such an insiiection must be apparent to any one who con- siders the vast numbers of crippled, diseased and dead animals which arrive at all large slaughtering places, and the additional fact that at all such places there are unscrupulous persons ready to inqiose upon the cousumei's by placing the meat of such animals upon the market. During the last year more than twenty-seven million animals were inspected, those injured, diseased or otherwise untit for food Avere condemned' and the meat of the healthy ones was certified as free from disease, sound and wholesome. It has also been found essential to inspect and quarantine animals of all species which are brought into the country, in order to preA'ent the importation of contagious diseases. There has been briefly sketched in these few words a vast sanitary system which the United States (lovernment applies to animals with a vicAV not only of control.ling the diseases of animals, but of protecting the health of the peo{)le by guarding against the transmission to man- kind of diseases originating with animals. Every ]>art of this system including its inception and develo])ment has occurred dui'ing the lifetime of this Board. We come together on this occasion and mingle our congratulations without reservation of any kind. The establislnnent of the Michigan State Board of Health was a good thing for the State and for the Jsation. Its growth in })ower and influence until it has reached the age of a quarter of a century is a tit subject for rejoicimr. This initial ]»eriod of its ex- istence has fallen in a time of unrivalled activity, of dazzling oppor- tunities and of amazing achiev(unenfs. But all is not finished. As twenty-live years ago we stood at the threshold of a new era, so today Ave can see the })romise of great things that are to lx* accomplished in the near future. Let us conserve Avhat Ave have. Let us maintain the high standard of ])i'ofessional ethics Avhich has been established in this coun- try, Avhich is the glory of our medical ])rofession, and Avhich forbids that humanity shall be forced to ])ay exorbitant ti-ibiite to commercial greed in order to benefit by the great discoveries of medical science. Let us use our influence to keep the ])roduction of anti toxins out of the control of niono])olies; so that these great discoA'ories of modern science may re- main Avithin the means of the humblest in the land and may be used for animal as Avell as for human diseases. Let ns stand shoulder to shoulder and make the results of the next quarter c('ntui'y (*A'en more notable than haA'e been those of the past. Chninjwn Wells—The state of Kentucky,^notecl for its blue jjrass aiul its corn, is a land ot i)lentA’. Its blue jjrass furntslies food foi' its s])lendid animals and its corn food and tonic not only for its own but for tlie citizens of the Avhole Union. But the state is not noted for those alone. It has for Secretary of its State Board of Healtli a most {lenial and competent man. wliose name a))pears upon our ])roKram as one of the speakers tonipht. I learn that his duties at home Avill proA’ont Doctor Alcrormack beinp with ns this CA'cniiip. and that Doctor Bailey, president of tlx* Kentuck.v State Board of II(>alth, will s])(*ak in bis j)lac('. Uermit me to introduce* to yon Doctor Bailey.