The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-06-04
continued from page ONE.

with steel crossbeams and cement-faced
steel supports The lower side walls are
covered with white porcelain brick.
When the slaughtering OF each day Is
finished. water Is turned on, and In not
more than fifteen minutes the room Is SO
thoroughly cleansed that all perceptible
odors and traces OF the work are remov-
ed
other rooms, such as those for cooling
and storage, are OF similar construction
20 the killing floor White porcelain-lined
bricks and curved tiles join floors and
side walls. that no corners may retain
dirt and refuse Ventilation Is everywhere
excellent and light abundant both these
matters having evidently received careful
consideration In planning the building.
The privies contain separate sections with
self-fushing bowls white porcelain-lined
wash basins, shower baths. and mirrors.
Towels and toilet paper are provided. and
everything is kept clean. The effect OF all
these excellencies OF construction and ar
rangement is evident In promoting the
care OF the products and in elevating the
morals OF the workers
The same principles OF sanitation and
the same care OF the health and cleanli- |
ness OF the workers would revolutionize |
the stock yards OF Chicago. and the at |
tainment OF such a standard should be
the concern OF the National government !
and. or the city OF Chicago.
protecting the cleanliness and wholesome
ness OF the products and the health Of the
workers and OF improving the conditions !
under which the work is performed. must |
fall upon the National government.
TREATMENT or MEATS AND FOOD !
PRODUCTS.
Uncleanliness in handling products
An absence OF cleanliness was also |
found everywhere in the handling OF
meat being prepared for the. various
meat-food products After XIII car
casses are well washed. and up TO the
time they reach the cooling room are
handled in fairly sanitary and cleanly
manner The parts that leave the
cooling room for treatment in bulk are
also handled with regard to cleanliness.
but the parts that are sent from the
cooling room TO those departments OF
the packing houses In which various
forms OF meat products are prepared
are handled with no regard whatever
for cleanliness.
In some OF the largest establish
ments sides that are sent to what is
known as the boning room are thrown
In heap upon the moor. The work
egs climb over these heaps OF meat,
select the pieces they wish. and fire.
quently throw them down upon the
dirty floor beside their working bench.
Even In cutting the meat upon the
bench. the work is usually held pressed
-agains1-tEeiE al prnns-- --and-thean- aprons
were. as a rule. indescribably filthy.
They were made I'm most cases OF
leather or OF rough sacking and bore
long accumulated grease and dirt.
In only few places were suitable OIL
cloth aprons worn. Moreover, men were
seen to climb from the floor and stand.
with shoes dirty with the refuse OF the
floors. on the tables upon which the meat
was handled They were seen at the lunch
hour sitting on the tables on the spot on
which the meat product was handled. and
eli this under the very eye OF the super
intendent OF the room. showing that this
was the common practice.
Meat scraps were also found being shoY-
eled into receptacles from dirty floors
where they vert left to lie until again
shoveled into barrels or into machines for
chopping. These floors. IL must he noted |
were In most cases damp and soggy, In |
dark nl-ventilated rooms, and the EN-" |
ployes in utter ignorance OF cleanliness or |
danger to health expectorated at will up |
on them
In word, we saw meat shoveled from /
filthy wooden floors, piled on tables rare
~ washed. pushed from room to room In |
rotten box carts. In all OF which processes |
II was In the way OF gathering dirt. spiin- |
ters. floor filth. and the expectoration of |
tubercuious and other diseased workers. |
Where comment was made TO floor super |
intendents about these matters. II was al |
ways the reply that this meat would af- |
terwards be cooked, and that this sterili- |
xation would prevent any danger from its |
use. Even this IL may be pointed out in |
passing II not wholly true. A very consid- |
erable portion OF the meat 80 handled In |
sent out as smoked products and In the |
form Of sausages. which are prepared to |
be eaten without being cooked
A particularly giaring instance OF un- /,
cleanliness was found in room where
The best grade Of sausage was being pre-
pared for export. II was made from care |
fully selected meats. and was being pre- !
pared TO be eaten uncooked. In this case |
the employe carted the chopped meat |
across q room In barrow. the handles |
OF which were filthy with grease. The |
meat was then thrown out upon tables |
and the empioye climbed upon the table !
handled the meat with his unwashed !
hands. knelt with his dirty apron, and
trousers In contact with the meat he was
spreading out. and. after he had finished
his operation. again took hold OF the dirty
handles Of the whcelbarrow. went back
for another load and repeated this process
Indefinitely.
Inquiry developed the fact that there
was no water I'm this room at ALL and
the only method the man adopted for
cleaning his hands was TO rub them
against his dirty apron or on his still
fllthier trousers.
As an extreme example Of the entire
disregard on the part OF employees OF any
notion OF cleanliness In handling dressed
meat. we saw a hog that had Just been
killed. cieansed, washed and started on
its way TO the cooling room fall from the
sliding rail to a dirty wooden floor and
slide part way into a filthy mems privy.
II was plcke dup by two employees. placed
upon a truck. carried into the cooling
room and hung up with other carcasses,
no effort being made to clean II.
TREATMENT OF MEAT AFTER IN.
sPEcTioN.
The radical defect In the present sys-
tenn OF inspection is that Il does not go far
enough. IL Is confined at present by law
TO passing on the healthfuness OF ami
mails at the time Of killing; but the meat
that is used In sausage and In the various
fofrns of canped producta ana otbar vre