Nineteen years after the reindeer were introduced to the Seward Peninsula, Pacific Cold Storage in Nome spearheaded a move condemning the use of reindeer meat on November 10th 1911.

They spread the rumor that the reindeer had tapeworms and thus were unfit to eat. One doctor in the area agreed. But other Local doctors denied the claim. No evidence came forward about the tapeworms. Historical records do not show that there had been tapeworms present.

But the local people in the area stated that the use of reindeer meat kept the meat prices in normal range.

The battle over the use of reindeer meat failed, and reindeer meat soon began being exported to Seattle for sales in their markets.

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