The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-10
WOMEN MICROSCOPISfS
A Chicago Stock Yard Employs
Them to Inspect Meat.
The work Requires Absolute Accu-
rucy. Is Not Artluous, and Is Very
IntercsttnE-A Good Education Is
Necessary, and Months OF Prcpnrn-
tory Study-The Hours Are shcrt.

CHICAGO, June 9. 19o0.-Of the thirty
thousand OF more laborers that daily go in
and out the wonderful mazes of Packing
town" or the Chicago Union Stock Yards.
only about one thousand are women 1t Is
obvious that comparatively little of the
work there could from any standpoint be
considered adaptable to the weaker Sex"
but as the West nowhere offers 70 work.
ing women the same opportunities for
earning their daily bread as does the East.
with its cotton and wooden mills. its shoe
factories, manufactures OF silk. etc.. the
very most must be made of the chances
that exist
The number of women actively engaged
in the stock yards. however. Is but small
representation OF the women vitality inter-
csted in it's life, since this gigantic ex-
press.oa of modern commercialism supports
from 125.000 to 10000 people. the largest
industrial community Of the world.
An Interesting occupation connected with
the stock yards. in which women are en-
gagged, but which is under the control OF
the Government. is the microscopic inspec-
ton of such meats as are to be exported.
The establishment Of this branch Of the
work was brought about by the attitude
W
England excepted-in 1881 united in re-
fusing to receive American pork into their
harbors. On the ground that 1t was pecu-
Harry subject to trichirae. This act. Of
course. completely paraiyzed foreign trade
in this commodity. and fer fully ten years
both the Government md the packers were
powerless against the edict. In 1891. how
ever, the United States Bureau OF Animal
Industry proposed te subject all meat in
tended for foreign ports to rigid micro
scopic examination, and to forward with
each shipment a certificate of health This
act had the desired effect: the ban was
removed. and gradually foreign trade
swung back to its old status.
The bureau Of animal industry has its
office just at the entrance Of the stock
yards. The department OF microscopic ex-
animation is under the general manages.
ment of DR.. W. S. De Voc, head of the
bureau in Chicago. with DR.. Morris Wood
en-. chief microscopic, In immediate
charge. Associated with DR.. Wooden Is
one man. assistant chief microscopic, and
1G9 assistant microscopes, all of whom
are women Briefly speaking their work
is to examine the meat under the micro
scope, and make reports as to the pres
ence or not of tgichinae.
These assistants are for the most part
a more than ordinarily wsll-educated
class OF women. few physicians. soma
ex-teachers and many college graduates
being amongst the number. The examina-
lions for the position are however, not
SO stringent as to exclude those OF q coed
high school education. and fully one-haIf
CT the credits are given for practical work
in microscopy. The age limit is twenty
years and over. The work is interesting
and by NO means arduous. 1t is. however,
exacting. and very hard on the eyes; SO
much so, that frequent rests have to be
taken during the period covering the labor
Of the day. Every assistant Is required to
be at her table ready to begin work az
o'clock in the morning; at 9:45 a rest
Of fifteen minutes is taken, when work Is
again resumed and carried on until -:
half hour is then allowed for luncheon.
From 1880 to las the young women ars
close at Il again. and then comes ano.hsr
fifteen minutes rest. At 3 O'Clock the
work is over for the day: the six hours
Of actual labor being all that even strong
rair of eyes can endure without injury.
To insure the absolute accuracy of the
work, there are seven expert women whose
sole duty it Is to re-examine the speci-
mems already passed upon by the other
assistants.
New recruits are obliged to spend four
or five months studying how to detect
trichinae in the different stages Of growth
before being considered sufficiently expert
to undertake the real work Of pronounce
ing upon the soundness CT the meat.
{ This most novel work affords a very
desirable occupation fer women. The
average rate Of pay is $50 a month. the
hours agreeable, the task interesting and
except for the strain upon the eyes, not
difficult