The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-06-08
|l-REYNOLDS REPORT
Bares Filthy Conditions Found
in Slaughter Houses.
IHINGS UNFIT FOR PRINT
81 for Peoples Consumption
uouIed Amid Vile Surroundings
canned Refuse Put Out Falsely
Labelled as Inspected by Govern
,,eut

ment.
washington, D. c., June g.
ossrs REYNOLDS and Neill preface
seir report with the assurance that
. have made no statement as a
!. \ in the report here presented that
os not verified by our personal
Examination.
The report describes the plants of
ii principal slaughtering and pack
- establishments Of Chicago as fol-
lows:
IN bricks laid with deep grooves be-
Zen them, which inevitably fill
1itb manure and refuse. Such pave
ment cannot be properly cleaned,
IN is Shiny and malodorous when
"A Welding clouds Of ill-smelling
An when dry. The pens are gener-
lin uncovered except those for
eAeep: these latter are paved and
sayered. The viaducts and platforms
"a of wood. Calves, sheep, and
begs that have died en- route are
fbrown out upon the platforms
ubere cars are unloaded. On a sim
ia platform on one occasion we
eounted fifteen dead hogs, on the
neyt ten dead hogs. The only excuse
QEen for delay in removal was that
ID often heard-the expense.
The work tables upon which the
meat is handled, the floor carts on
mich It is carried about, and the
MS and other receptacles into which
ii is thrown are generally of wood.
me- rcceptacles are frequently
iound water soaked, only half
ekansed, and with meat scraps and
aease accumulations adhering to
Heir sides and collecting dirt. This
IS largely true of meat racks and
meat conyeyors of every sort, which
mere IN nearly all cases inadequately
ekansed, and grease and meat scraps
mere found adhering to them, even
alter they had been washed and re-
lnrned to service"
The Investigators found the gen.
ssal uncleanness greatly aggravated
b5 inadequate and unsanitary toilet
arrangements. Men and women re-
tarn directly from these places to
plunge their unwashed hands into
zbch food products as sausages,
dfed beef, and other compounds.
Continuing the report says:
IAN absence of cleanliness was
ako found everywhere in the han
ling of meat being prepared for the
Drious meat-food products. After
Alling, carcasses are we'll washed,
nd up TO the time they reach the
l0Oling room are handled in q fairly
sanitary and cleanly manner. The
ARTS that leave the cooling room for
heatment in bulk are also handled
Nlth regard to cleanliness, but the
ARTS that are sent from the cooling
Dom to those departments of the
Mcking houses in which various
iorms Of meat products are prepared
nc handled with no regard whatever
"a cleanliness. In some Of the larg-
81 establishments sides that are sent
q what is known as the boning room
re thrown in a heap upon the floor.
ne workers climb over these heaps
g meat, select the pieces they wish,
no frequently throw them down
Don the dirty floor beside their
Nprking bench. Even in cutting the
neat upon the bench, the work is
uually held pressed against their
aprons, and these aprons were, as
ne, indescribably filthy. They were
nade in most cases of leather or
sQugh sacking and bore long accum-
Nated grease and dirt. In only few
faces were suitable oilcloth aprons
Nbrn
All canned products bear labels
= which the following is sample:
ABATTOIR No. -.
pe contents of this package have
Oeen inspected according to the
act of Congress of
March 3, 1891.
Inc phraseology of these labels is
Hpolly unwarranted. The Govern
@fnt Inspectors pass only upon the
faithfuIness of the animal at the
le OF killing. They know nothing
s. lhe processes through which the
fat mas passed since this inspec-
~ They do not know what else
y nave been placed in the cans in
uIlion to inspected meat AS a
A''er OF fact, they know nothing
ssout the contents of the can upon
r,cn The packers place these labels
uo not know even that it contains
iat IT purports to contain"