[Subinclosure.—Translation.]
The Department of
Government to the Secretary for
Foreign Affairs.
(A seal reading:) Department of Government.—First section.—No.
2692.
Under date of the 27th ultimo, the superior board of health informs
this department as follows:
“During the meeting held by this board on the 24th instant, a report
rendered by the joint committees on federal matters and sanitary
police relating to animals was approved, the same reading as
follows: ‘The department of government has been pleased to inform
this board, upon the note from the American ambassador to the
department of foreign affairs, with which he inclosed copy of a
communication from the Department of Agriculture to the Secretary of
State of the United States, relative to the denial on the part of
Mexican authorities to recognize federal inspection labels, seals,
and certificates upon meats as a proof that fresh meats from the
American Union are fit articles on importation into Mexico, and to
permit the entry of shipments of said meats because the same were
not accompanied by the certificates called for by article 67 of
customs regulations. The undersigned committees have made a careful
study of this important matter, having before them copies in extenso
of several copies of the United States statutes, laws, regulations,
etc., relative to the inspection of live stock and products thereof
from said nation, which said ambassador sent with his
above-mentioned note, and have the honor to report the
following:
‘Owing to the influence which fresh meats exercise over public health
as one of the leading articles of food, the Government of Mexico,
following the initiative of this board, has devoted much attention
to watching its complete sanitary condition and good preservation,
and therefore has the right to demand that meats imported to the
country be in said conditions. The slaughterhouse of the City of
Mexico is provided with an office for the sanitary inspection of
meats, equipped with microscopes and a small bacteriological
laboratory under a sufficient number of chartered veterinary
surgeons, who inspect with the proper care all meats, and are
accustomed to such practices, after a number of years, which are
daily improving the sanitary conditions of the meats for public
consumption. The rule observed in said establishment to attain
success provides for the examination of live animals as carefully as
possible; then follows the post-mortem inspection, the microscopic
examination of pork, and finally the bacteriological inspection
whenever the same is required. Information has been recently
received that there are in the United States packing houses in which
the inspection of meats is made by experts of official character,
similar to that made in Mexico, as above stated; therefore, in view
of this fact, the joint committees on federal matters and sanitary
police state that in their opinion the importation of fresh meats
from the United States of America should be permitted when covered
by federal inspection labels, seals, and certificates, as when such
requisites are observed an absolute certainty is had that the legal
precepts upon the matter prevail. The above conditions are extremely
favorable for the admission of meats from the United States. But, as
laws in force should not be disregarded, it is indispensable that,
besides the fact that meats may bear the seals referred to by the
ambassador of the United States, the provisions of article 35 of the
sanitary code and 67 of the general customs regulations should be
observed. Therefore, the undersigned committees ask the board to
approve the following:
‘Fresh meats from the United States of America shipped by packing
houses in which sanitary inspection is officially enforced on live
stock and dead meat, as well as microscopic examination of pork and
bacteriological inspection when the same may be proper, shall be
admitted to this country whenever the same are accompanied with an
official sanitary certificate in the above terms and when said
document may bear the approval of the Mexican consul. Signed:
Liceaga.-Gomez.’
“‘Which I have the honor to transmit to you for your information and
in reply to the communication of that department, No. 7897, dated
June 22 last.”
Which I transmit to you for your information and assure you of my
distinguished consideration.
Mexico, November 3,
1906.
Corral.
