Evening star., 1901-10-25
NEW HEALTH REGULATION
DIR. wOODwARD's VIEW OF SUCCESS
TION MADE BY BUTCHERS.
Approves Amendment Which Pro-
hibits Sale of Slaughtered Lambs
With Pelt and Feet Attached.

| DR.. William C. Woodward, the health Of
| ficer, has submitted report to the Dis
! trict Commissioners in regard to the pro-
| posed regulation on the subject Of dressing
| lambs for the retail market. in which he
| approves Of portion of the new draft and
| disapproves of several features. DIR. Wood
| ward says:
Referring to the draft of a proposed
| amendment to the health ordinances Of this
| District submitted by Mr.. S. T. Thomas,
attorney for the Retail Butchers Associa-
| tion of the District of Columbia, 1 have the
| honor to submit the following statement:
at is proposed that these ordinances be
amended by inserting the following: That
no person shall sell or offer for sale in the
| District of Columbia any sheep or lamb
| that has been slaughtered for food until
the pelt, head, feet, liver, heart and lungs
thereof have been removed therefrom; and
any person violating the provisions of this
section shall, upon conviction thereof, be
punished by a fine of not less than $5 nor
more than $25 for each and every offense.'
Regarded as Reasonable.
"As it is not customary to offer the bod
les of sheep or lambs for sale with the pelt
or the head on, the reasonableness of a
regulation requiring the removal Of these
parts is not likely to be questioned. Even
however if it were otherwise, the facts
that neither the pelt nor the head can be
satisfactorily cleaned; that the pelt so long
as it remains on the carcass seriously inter-
feres with cooling, and that the pelt is
never sold food but always for other
purposes, would probably be sufficient TO
overcome whatever objection might be
made on this score.
1.-The feet are now commonly a part of
the carcass9s of lambs and sheep when Of
fered for sale to the retail dealer. The pro-
posed regulation will, therefore, if promul-
fn1 off OH IN, ftr,rr aotf
in far as it requires the removal of the
feet. Such change in the Judgment of the
health department, is both desirable and
reasonable. 1t is desirable because the feet
of these animals prior to slaughter are GER
tainly in contact with filth, more or less of
which they retain, and, under existing prac-
tice, carry into the cold storage ware
houses and refrigerators in which they are
placed 1t is reasonable because the feet
are not used for food, are easily removed,
and. therefore, are not properly a part of
the carcass when offered for sale for food.
Another Question.
when, however, the proposed regulation
undertakes to require the removal of the
liver, heart and lungs, different questions
arise. These parts are edible and are in
fact sold for food. Their structure and
composition resembles more or less closely
that of other parts to the sale of which no
exception is taken.
1T has been alleged that the presence of
these organs In the carcass interferes with
proper cooling. Doubtless it does delay
cooling to certain extent by rendering the
mass Of tissue to be cooled somewhat
larger. The health department has how
ever, been unable to find any evidence to
show that they have never interfered with
the cooling to sufficient extent to cause
the carcass or any part of 1t to be unwhole-
some. The food inspectors of the health
department have full authority to condemn
meat, whether it be liver, heart lungs or
other parts that is unwholesome but in
practice they have not been called upon to
act more frequently with reference to meat
from carcasses of sheep and lambs contain
ing the liver, heart and lungs than with
reference to other carcasses.
THE same may be said with reference to
the condemnation of the organs lust mem
toned or of carcasses containing them be-
cause Of parasitic disease; they may be
condemned promptly on the discovery of
such diseases, but, as matter of fact
condemnation is not required.
Not a Probability.
LAS to the supposed danger Of the mi
grafton of parasites from the liver and
lungs into the remainder of the body. it
may be said that if this has not occurred
during life when favored by blood cur
rents and bodily warmth it is not likely to
when the connecting blood vessels them
selves have been severed, and when the
carcass has been reduced to a temperature
sufficiently low to inhibit the activity of
the animal parasites.
THE health department would be very
glad to recommend the PRONUNCIATION of
this ordinance as submitted, if it were able
to find any sufficient reason for doing so.
II Is, however, able to indorse it only in
SO far as 1T refers to the pelt head and
feet. The PRONUNCIATION of this proposed
regulation, in so far as 1t relates to these
parts is respectfully recommended