The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-04
MEAT INSPECTORS.
Those in Large Packing-Houses Live
on Vegetables.

bout a block from. the classic portals OF
stoekyards proper is a branch OF animal indus
try more or less closely associated with the ous-
ness OF packing. II Is a sanitary measure
known as pork inspection, and here the work
ers are all women with the exception of DIR. E.
Balzer. chief microscopic, and bis assistant, R.
KOchanOwskl-
There is popular impression that some
method of inspection is carried, on, but proba-
Div few people in Chicago have seen
tbe GIRLS at work or know much about the
actual method employed. They know that
the law requires the examination OF every
bit of pork that is exported, and that Secre-
tary Morton has made certain appointments,
but the sight OF large roomful of young
women trying TO hold one eye open while :hey
look through The microscope with The other
would be new.
The Offices where the workings of this branch
of the United States Government are carried
on are over the pOstoffce on HalsLed street.
The front Toom with windows facing the south
and west, is devoted TO be practical meat IN
specion. To the unlnittated, expecting TO see
half dozen or more freshly butchered hogs
swinging from gibbet the spectacle OF nlIty
or more neat young women gingery handing
tiny DTS OF raw meat with plncerS Is, 10 say
the least, disappointing. He is further mace 70
understand that these microseOpisls have Oeen
appointed by Secretary Morton, and as such are
. little above average mOrtals.
The long tables reach the full length OF tne
room and in the four rows there are about Sixty
young women. Each has her apportloneu space,
clean or mussy, as happens TO be ber mannet
of working Each one is provided also with a
microscope, a glass compressor, plnceIS anu
tWeeZers and the few other things IN the way Oh
water to clean her tools, cloths 10 dry lnehl, ete
The meat is brought TO this place 10 shSil tIn
boxes, each box or can containing tnIee ulIS vi
meat about enough for pet kllUth,S ulnuel
This meat is cut from the tehaefloln, the
diaphragm and the shoulder the pieces In one
box representing one hog, Inc TICKET lusluo
the box has its duplicate fastened upon me
dead animal from which The specimens are
Two thousand three hundred per day Is the
average number examined, each person being
responsible for about hfty-slX.
1t is something like School-the orderly
array OF dilIgent young women neither laugh
ing nor talking. With their heads bent Tor
ward little tortOise-shell combs stand up ag-
eresSively and then the green Snades oDtTuue
themselves upon the attention. Finally the
girls look up and you behold glasses on every
pair OF eyes.
south light Is very bad, very glaring, and the
yeung ladies, they look so long through the
micrOscope-from O'Clock In the morning un-
I'll 4 O'Clock in The afternoon. Ii is very pad
for the eyes"
And the girls themselves =? They say they
like the work so long as they must Work. The
hours are not long, the salary is 500 per month
and 1t is not hard work. 1t is combining IL is
mOnotonous and sometimes, when the head
aches, it is very trying to look steadily through
the microscope. Then, 100, when the heat Is
great the smell of tue meat is sickening.
II am new here" said Tretty girl at the end
of the row. They have given me i've boxes
and l am TO make Two examinations OF each.''
She took a tiny bit OF each OF the three
pieces, cut it up finer than sausage with
her tweeZers. aud then spread the prepare
lion on the TWO little pieces Of glass, which
close together like book. and show the thin
layer of pork between. This she placed under
her MICROSCOPE AMI looked for the live trichina
which is the cause OF all this trouble.
cit is not hard TO find.' she explained. "See
that little one in there?" Down went a rep Ort
to the effect that No. - was not what II should
be, and the experiment was repeated, not, how
ever, until the glass bad been carefully cleaned
ana the traces of meat removed.
"YOu may be sure we are all vegetarians,
aren't we, girls" sang out one of the vivacious
maidyns as she lighted gas burner. 1--WE
mako tea for lunch IN this little rOom," point
ing 10 tile ah-cleaning apartment, land we
have enough 10 eat, such as II is, but 1t Is not
meat"
When the work was started some three years
ago only men were employed, later few
women we're admitted, and now men are barred
. out; the women do il all.
1--WE find them more efficient" said the chief
inspectors They ale more careful. more GER
tain. They are less restless under the close con-
inemenI and are satisfied with smaller remun-
Grafton than are young men."-Chieago Times