The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-04-12
ENFORCE IT HERE.

By reference to a brief statement in
today's Gazette, made by DR..
Knowles, state veterinarian, who was
one of the gentlemen instrumental in
securing enactment of the measure, il
will be seen that the pure food law,
as it is known, passed at the recent
Legislative session is not so restricted
in its application to towns and cities
rs has been generally supposed. While
made mandatory on cities of 5000
or more inhabitants, it can also be en-.
forced in places Of a smaller number
of inhabitants, if the people SO desire,
it being optional with the smaller cit
les if they wish to avail themselves Of
the benefits of the law.
Then the matter of the enactment
of the law was agltated last winter
The Gazette was one of the strongest
supporters Of the measure, believing
that it was a good one and should have
a place IN the statutes of the state. It
has not changed its mind in this regard
and, as it then stated, it believes the
health of smaller communities to be
just as important to themselves and
should be guarded with the same care
as that of larger places. Adhering to
khic ho1iof II thS,,lc ctape should Lo
taken at once to have the law made
to apply to this city. The matter lies
with the city council and it is for that
body to decide whether the people
shall be compelled to incur the same
risks they have been mourning for
years past every time they buy meats
or other produce, or whether they shall
have the benefit of the protection
which the law now affords them. The
expense Of a competent inspector
would not prove SO great as to be bur-
densome. If it is decided to take adj
vantage of the law the council should
employ some good veterinarian for the
position of inspector. Dr.. Knowles is
authority for the statement that a man
competent to fill the position could be
secured for a salary not to exceed 500
per month, as he would not be required
to devote his entire time to the duties
of the position, but could practice his
profession and by combining the two
would be assured of a liberal income.
Under the law an inspector has au-
thority not only to inspect all meats
and other articles of food offered for
sale in the local markets, but also is
given the right to inspect all diaries,
slaughter houses and other like places
where foodstutfs are prepared for sale.
It is made his duty to see that all such
places are kept clean and in healthy
condition, and it is his duty to inspect
all animals killed before they are
slaughtered and their meat afterward
and condemn all that he considers un.
fit for human consumption. He also
has the right to test the milk sold by
dairymeu to see that it contains an
amount of butter tat to make it
healthful and nutritious and that it is
free from all adulterants, such as
water or other foreign matter. His
jurisdiction is not necessarily confined
to the city limits, but can be made to
extend to districts beyond, as the in
tent OF the law is to conserve the
health Of as many persons as possible.
If MI. George and the other mem
members of the incoming city admin.
istration really desire to show that
they intend to give the city a govern
ment calculated to be an Improvement
on any it has yet had and do all in
their power for the benefit and welfare
of its people, one of the best moves
they can make is to adopt an ordinance
placing the city under the operations
of the pure food law.