Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-06-08
THR COMMISSIONS REPORT.
Meat PRODUCTS Handled Without Re
card to Cleanliness.

Meat Products Handled Without Re.
gard to Cleanliness.
Washington, June 5.-The following
synopsis Of the report of ]. B. Rey-
nolds and Commissioner G. P. Neill to
the president on conditions In the Chi
cago stock yards has been submitted
to congress by the president:
The report says that two and one
halt weeks were spent in the investi-
cation in Chicago. during which I'VE
went through the principal packing.
houses in the stock yards district, to-
gether with few Of the smaller ones.
A day vas spent by Mr.. Reynolds in
New York city in the investigation Of
its leading slaughter houses" The re.
port says that in many Of the rooms
whore water IL used freely the floors
are soaked and Shiny and the dark
and dingy rooms are naturally not
kept suitably clean. An absence Of
cleanliness was found everywhere In
the handling Of meat being prepared
for the various meat food products.
The parts that are sent from the cool
tngroom to these departments where
various forms Of meat products are
prepared r handled with no regard
whatever for cleanliness. The work
ors climb over heaps Of meat, select
the pieces they wish and frequently
throw them down upon the dirty floor
beside their bench.
Instances Of uncleanllnesa.
I'm q word" the report adds, I'VE
saw meat shoveled from filthy. wooden
floors, piled On tables rarely washed.
pushed from room to room in rotten
box carts, in all Of which processes It
was in the way Of gathering dirt, spin
ters and floor filth. It was always the
reply that this meat would afterward
be cooked and that this sterilization
would prevent any danger from its
use. A very considerable portion Of
the meat so handled is sent out as
smoked products and in the form of
ePusages, which are prepared to be
eaten without being cooked. A par
tdoularly glazing instance Of unclean-
illness a found In q room where the
best grade of sausage was being pre-
pared for export"
The report says that the radical de-
feet in the inspection system is that It
is confined at present by law to pass.
ing on the healthfulness of animals at
the time of killing, but that the meat
that is used In sausage and the vari-
u forms Of canned products and
other prepared meat goes through
many processes, In all Of which there
IL possibility of contamination through
unsanitary handling and further dan
ger through the use of chemicals.
During all these processes there is no
government inspection. although these
products when sent out bear q label
stating that they have. been passed
upon by government inspectors. The
report arraigns the sanitary pro-
visions In the buildings as abominable
and says the men and women plunge
their unwashed hands into the meat to
b converted into food products.
Health Of Employees Ignored.
Department superintendents Seem
% ignore all CONVERSATIONS except the
account book" and proper care Of the
products and Of health and comfort Of
The employees is impossible and the
consumer consequently suffers. Tu-
berculosis victims sxpectorate on the
spongy wooden floors Of the dark
workrooms, from which falling scraps
6f meat are shoveled. up to be later
converted into food products. Ever
the ordinary decencies Of life are com.
pletely ignored" says tho report IN
discussing the arrangements for mon
and women employees. The report says:
1.-THE whole situation as we saw 1t
In these huge establishments tends
necessarily and inevitably to the moral
degradation Of thousands Of workers,
who are forced to spend their working
hours under conditions that are en-.
tirely unnecessary and objectionable
and which are q constant menace not
only to their own health but to the
health Of those who use tho food prod.
$3.50 = HLETL EA&4 - ~. &EE@EA