After the hams are cut from the carcasses they are handled entirely
by means of billhooks. In handling the hams the hooks are inserted
beneath the skin of the shank at a point just above the tibio-femoral
articulation. The hooks should be inserted in the connective tissue
beneath the skin and should not penetrate the muscular tissue to any
depth. When the hams lie in the right position, with the butt or large
portion away from and the shank toward the operator, it is an easy
matter to pick them up in the proper manner; but when they lie at
different angles and are being rapidly handled it is almost impossible
to prevent the hook from penetrating the muscular tissues, and if the
hook should penetrate to the bone it might carry in foreign matter
contaminated with the meat-souring bacillus. It is not probable that
many hams become contaminated in this way, as the men who handle the
hams are very skillful in manipulating their hooks; but the possibility
that hams may become contaminated in this manner should not be entirely
overlooked.
BIOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HAM-SOURING
BACILLUS.