The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-06-08
UncIeanness Evervwhere.

tslO iAOOSSSSAS
The White House. june =, 1906.
Uncleanness Everywhere.
A synopsis of the report of Reynolds
and Neill follows:
The report says that two and one-haH
weeks were spent In the investigation In
Chicago. during which we went through
the principal packing houses in the stock
yards district, together with a few OF the
smaller ones. A day was spent by Mr..
agtion of its leading slaughter houses"
The report says that in many CT the
rooms where water is used freely the
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
from the cooling room to these depart
ments where various forms of meat pro-
ducts are prepared are handled with no
regard whatever for cleanliness. The
workers climb over heaps of meat, select
the pieces hey wish and frequently throw
them down upon the dirty floor beside
their bench.
Meat Shoveled from Filthy Floors.
I'm a 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, splinters, floor filth. 1t
was always the reply that this meat would
afterwards be cooked and that this steri-
llLdllOu WOulU pTeNSCC any Danger 1fOm llS
use. a very considerable portion Of the
meat so handled is sent out as smoked
product and in the form of sausages.
which are prepared to be eaten without
being cooked.
"A particularly glazing instance of I'M
cleanliness was found in a room where the
best grade of sausage was being prepared
for export"
The report says that the radical defect
in the inspection system is that 1t is con-
fined at present by law to passing on the
hoo T,1t par @f (, 4 L., - e. 49, -
killing, but that the meat that is used in
sausage and the various forms of canned
products and other prepare meat foods
goes through many processes, in all of
which there is possibility of Contaminated
through unsanitary handling and further
hanger through tho use of chemicals. Dur
ing an these processes there is no govern
ment inspection although these products
when sent out bear a label stating that
theS nave been passed upon by govern
ment inspectors. The report arraigns the
Unable and says that men and women
plunge their unwashed hands into the
meat to be converted into food products.
The report says the burden of protecting
the cleanliness and wholesomeness of the
products the health of the workers and
improving the conditions must fall upon
the national government.
Tuberculosis Contagion.
Department superintendent seem to
ignore al. considerations except the ac-
count book" and proper care of the pro-
duets and of health and comfort of the
employees is impossible and the consumer
consequently suffers.
Tuberculosis victims expectorate on the
spongy wooden floors of the dark work
rooms from which falling scraps of meat
are later shoveled up to be converted into
food products.
Even the ordinary decencies of life are
completely ignored says the report in
discussing the arrangements for men and
women employees. The report says:
The. whole situation as we saw 1t In
these huge establishments tends neces.
sarily and inevitably to the moral degrad-
alton of thousands of workers., who are
forced TO spend e their working hours under
conditions that are entirely unnecessary
and objectionable and which areaconstant
menace not only to their own health. but
to the health of those who use the food
products prepared by them"
What Is Needed.
The report urged compulsory examtna-
ton after slaughter.
inspection intended for foreign or inter
state m in the last subject to the
inspection of the bureau of animal in
dustry, and that they should be equally
controlled by the regulations of the secre-
tary of agriculture"
The report ASKS for increase of inspec.
tors for night inspection and special work,
legislation prohibiting declarations of gov
eminent inspections of food products un-
less subject to government inspection at
interstate transportation OF any meat or
meat food products not inspected and
labeled; urges considering. the question OF
specific labelling of all carcasses sold as
fresh meat which upon examination after
slaughtsrlng show signs Of disease but
recommends study of inspection standards
of other countries.