The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-05

privies of men and women frequently adj.
join, and the entrances are sometimes
no more than foot OF two apart. In 9TH
err cases there are no privies for women IN
the rooms in which they work, and to
reach the nearest it is necessary to go up
or down couple of flights of stairs. In
one noticeable instance the privy for the
women working in several adjoining rooms
was in a room in which men chilly We're
employed and every girl going to use this
had to pass by the working places of doz-
ems of male operatives and enter the privy
tie door of which was not six feet from
the working place of one of the men OPP
eratives. As previously noted, in the
privies for men and women alike there are
no partitions, but simply long row of
open seats. Rest rooms. where tired wom-
en- workers might go for short rest, were
found as rare exceptions, and in some
establishments women are even placed in
charge Of privies chiefly for the purpose,
IT was stated. to see that the girls did
not absent themselves too long from their
work under the excuse of visiting them
In some instances what was called a rest
room was simply one end of the privy
partitioned off by a six-foot partition from
the remaining Enclosure. A few girls were
found using this, not only as rest room.
but as the only available place in which
to sit to eat their luncheon
Much of the work in connection with the
| handhng OF meat has to be carried on in
rooms of low temperature but even
here a callous disregard was everywhere
seen for the comfort of those who worked
In these rooms Girls and women were
found in rooms registering a temperature
OF 81 degrees Fahrenheit without any ven
tilation whatever, depending entirely upon
artificial light. The floors were wet and
soggy and In some cases covered with
water SO that the girls had to stand in
boxes of sawdust as a protection for their
rect. In a. few cases even drippings from
the refrigerator rooms above trickled
through the ceiling upon the heads of the
workers and upon the food products being
prepared. very slight expense would
have furnished drier floors and protect
ed them against the tricklings from the
ceiling. II was asserted by The superin-
tendent of these rooms that this low tenn
perature was essential to the proper keep
ing of the meat; but precisely similar
work was found in other establishments
carried on in rooms kept at fair tenn
perature. In many cases girls 49, IL and
Is years stand ten hours a day at work,
much of which could be carried on while
sitting down.
In several establishments well-managed
restaurants were provided for the clerical
force. and In one instance a smoking
room was provided for them but no pro-
eat for the male laborers, In pleasant
weather they eat their luncheon sitting
out doors along the edge of the sidewalk,
or any place where they can find standing
ROOM In winter. however. and in inciem-
ent weather, their lunches have to be
eaten in rooms that In many cases are
sitting and nauseating. Eating rooms are
provided In a number of places for wom-
en- workers in the various departments;
, and In most of the large, establishments
coffee is served them at a penny cup.
| beyond this meager consideration for
! their convenience at meal times. scarcely
any evidence Is found that anyone gave a
| thought to their comfort.
The neglect on the part of their en-
| ployers to recognize or provide for the re-
quirements of cleanliness and decency of
| the employees must have an influence that
can not be exaggerated In lowering the
morals and discouraging cleanliness on the
| part of the workers employed In the pack
| ing houses. 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 10 spend their working hours
under conditions that are entirely unnee-
essary and objectionable, and which are a
| constant menace not only to their own
| health, but to the health of those who use
the food products prepared by them.
VI.-Government Inspection.
We observed carefully the Inspection be-
| fore slaughter, the inspection after
slaughter on the killing beds. the more
minute examination of animals tagged on
| the killing floors. and the microscopic
examination for trichinosis.
| Inspection Before Slaughter-Inspection
before slaughter appears to have little
| value In most cases. That undue advan-
! tage of this inspection is taken by outside
| parties Is charged, and opportunities for
| such are abundant. but no specific evil
dehce was presented to us. That this I'M
important and superficial examination
should be compulsory under the present
| law, whereas the moro scientific examna-
, ton after slaughter Is only permissive, in
| dieates serious defect in the law
! Inspection After acknowledgements
| after slaughter appears to be carefully
and conseientiously made. The govern
ment veterinarians maintain that 1t is
adequate, insisting that a passing exam
ination of certain glands. of tho viscera.
and of the general condition Of the car
cass is sufficient to enable an expert, en-
| gagged constantly on this work, to detect
at once the presence of disease or of alb
normal conditions. On the slightest intf-
! cation of disease or abnormal conditions
! the carcass Is tagged and set aside for
| later and more careful examination.
| There should, however. be more precau-
! tions taken to insure that the Instruments
used be kept antisepticaily clean.
Microscopic Examination.-The micro
scopic examination of hogs to be exported
to Germany appears to be made with
great care. and 1t may fairly be asked
why the same inspection is not made of
| hogs killed for the American market. The
statement that ham, pork. and sausage.
| that are frequently eaten raw in Ger
| many. are not so used In America. is
not strictly true. Large numbers of our
| foreign horn population eat ham and pork
! comparatively raw, and hence need this
| protection; and further. much Of this
pork goes into sausage to be eaten with
| out being cooked.
| Number of Inspectors.-Th present
number of inspectors is certainly made
quate, as the Secretary Of Agriculture has
| often complained We noted that some
large establishments had an obviously
| insufficient force. A few small concerns
have no inspectors at all. and may sell