Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-29
INSPECTION OF FOOD.
Or. HARRISON THINKS THERE SHOULD
BE LEGISLATION ON THIS SUBJECT.
The Health of Our People Demands that
MILK, Meat, Vegetables, and Fruit
Shall Be Examined.

DIR. BENJAMIN Harrison, an efficient men,
Der Of the Board of Health and physician
of experience and ability, 10 one of those
who believe that the inspection of certain
articles of food is of great necessity to the
health of the people of Richmond.
He is firmly convinced that to appoint o
competent officer to examine the milk we
drink and the meat. vegetables, and fruits
offered for sale in the markets and green
groceries here would materially reduce our
death-rate, which is much higher than our
natural conditions for hoalthfulness would
seem to suggest that it should be.
He so expresses himself in the article
given below, which vas written for the
DISPATCH on the oath Of this month. be-
fore the views of other gentlemen on the
same subject were sought and published.
The Doctors ideas are practical and are
presented in clear, concise, and interest
ing manner.
He writes;
The healthfulness OF our city being one Of the
chief aims which each OF its citizens should have
In view IL occurs TO me that while move In this
direction is already astlr 1t may be well 70 suR-
gest 10 our Council some other points for con-
sI6eratlon IN this line.
GOOD or THE CRgNAToBY.
IL Is with qualification / note That the request
Of our Health Board for O. crenafory is TO be
answered soon by the erection Of onc-t G., II the
opposition 70 the site OF II can be allayed. No
intelligent and consldorete citizen, take II, can
doubt the propriety Of this being the proper
mode Of dispensing OF the city reiuse-matter 7
from health point OF view. Tho death-rate OF
cur city is unquestonably much higher than IL
should be, and 1t has long been the anxious
search Of your board 10 ferret out the cause. IL
is indeed q perplexing question 10 soive why
our city, with its.Datural advantages OF locatlon'
aho In Of three
fourtbs OF the cities Of the Union While we
doubtless have right TO expect that our Gre
matory will serve n good purpose In this direc-
ton, we cannot believe that the disposition now
made Of our garbage, &C., Is solely responsible
| for our high death-rate. Lack OF legislation IN
giving us compulsory food-inspection laws can TO
my mind account for much OF the OWL uhuer
which VIC are suffering.
TIE SEgD OF INSPECTION.
Who can say that We are not daily consuming
quantities Of meat, milk &c, that are not har-
bingers Of the germs of disease? We certainly
have provided ourselves With no safeguards
against these dangerous intruders. Our conf-
dence in the honor Of those from whom we buy
may be great, but humanity with its elastic con-
science cannot be trusted far when It's pocket
| book Is in the balance.
Aside from the question OF the conscience of
the parties, however, IL IL a fact that no matter
| how conscientious the salesman may be he may
| yet unconsciousy be furnishing the purchaser
with a death-bearing agent A thorough stu
| dent OF pathology and one wen versed III the use
OF the microscope must give careful search 70
| find these microscopic agents then how readily
must they pass the unedlcated eye unobseryed.
In the DISPATCH Of the oath instant we see
| where, in an examination OF the dairios In Nor
| folk county, only fifteen out OF twenty-six were
found 10 be In n cleanly and healthful condition,
| and yet appended TO this statement 10 the an
! nouncement that the experts services are 70 bo
! dispensed with for lack OF funds 10 pay MN.
| Isn't there food for more than passing thought
| In this arficleg We have reason tlHl 4 Ell
| aware Of that we should fatter ourselves that
| our daiiies are in a better condition than those
| in Norfolk county. What does that article mean
| That eleven dairios sending out milk unit to
| be used.
| AN AGENT OF DISEASE.
| Mix has been long recognized by the medical
| profession an agent through which disease Is
| frequently contracted. Typhod-fever has been
| communicated 10 whole town through the
4 agency of milk furnished from a dairy-farm
where there was case OF IL existing. many
| articles Of late years from authors who have
| given much time aud studyto the NATTER claim
ing that that dread dsedse. tuberculosis, II often
| contracted through milk taken from COWS Affect
| ed with this disease, and they furthermore state
| that on almost every dairy-farm they find COWS
so diseased. II the disease can bo coIninlnl'
| Gated through the milk of these animals, how
| certain II il that IL may be. contracted through
| the eating os their flesh.
| Under such enlightenment should we not, In
stend Of dispensing, with the services of such an
expert, as have done our Norfolk brethren,
| raiher make effort 10 see that our dairies are
| properly inspected?
NEAT SHOULD BE EXAMINED.
II 1t is so with our dairies, equally important is
II that each pound Of our meat should be brought
under the eye of an inspector Ii IL useless 10
enumerate the numerous diseases which have
their origin. We suppose, in unsound meat. III II
acknowledged by all that disease at times Is
communicated 10 man through the hesh oil AMI
mails. Our cousins across the water certainly
recognize this fact when they quarantine
! against our pork. We, however, allow
this pork and all other meats TO come
! into our kitchens. depending on fate, fire, or
anything else that may turn up TO protect us
against tho ills which others deem 1t 80 impor-
| taut 10 guard against ! can see no reason why
we should not exercise the same precaution for
the preservation of our lives which are no less
precious than those of the foreigners.
An occasional inspection OF the green-grocers
establishments az well as the fruit-standS might
also we'll be required. How often can we observe
al these places vegetables and fruits far into the
state OF decay which are offered at reduced
prices, and thus find way into the Kitchens oi the
poorer members OF our community, and doubt
less in many instances serve as the origin OIL
fever, &c
SUGGESTION TO TuB COUNCIL
Not az wisencre, but as an humble member
Of your Health Board who believes that In this
lack OF compulsory inspection he secs the source
of much o. the sickness of our city, do suggest
that the members of our honorable City Council
take into consideration the practcability and
necessity for the appointment Of an oficer in our
midst with the necessary qualifications TO point
us TO any existing evil In this line and to guard
us against eyer.threatening danger.
To attain the ends we desire In this matter we
want no tyro a man OF known attainments
should be secured. lie should be conversant IN
microscopy and hygiene, be a veterinarian, conn
dent to instruct before as wen as alt5r Dutchcl'
ing .
other cities have long since seen the necessity
OF such an Office, and now, with such mortality
staring US in the face, il behooves US 10 DO moi
backward in any fensible move which VIII lesson
| our deaih-rate, and so put us in better light be-
| fore the world.