Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-25
RABBITS UNDER BAN
THOUSANDS IN STOCK CONDEMN
ED By INSPECTORS.
More Than Two Thousand Birds Also
Declared to Be Unfit for
Use.

1t is unlikely that the residents Of Wash
ington will be able to enjoy rabbit pie for
several days unless shipments are made to
the local merchants very soon. More than
6.00O of these ordinarily palatable animals
were condemned by inspectors Of the Dis
, trict health department within the last
three days, who declared they were spoiled.
There will also be a shortage in game
BIRDS 1t is stated, because Of the activity
on the part of the inspectors. More than
1000 birds of all kinds which had been
shipped to the local merchants had to be
thrown out as unfit for food within the
last three days. In the same period 400
chickens, POI turkeys and 12O squirrels met
a similar fate.
The unusually warm weather which has
prevailed in Washington for four or five
days Is given as the cause for these whole
sale condemnation proceedings. According
to DR.. Woodward, health officer of the Dis
trict the majority of the rabbits which
were condemned by his inspectors were
shipped here from Tennessee and when
they left that state the weather was brisk
and apparently favorable for the shipment
of such perishable freight, but when the
supplies arrived at the capital and the
mild Summertime weather struck them
they soon spoiled. His attention was first
called to the condition of the rabbits
Thursday morning by an official of local
express company who said he had several
crates of rabbits and birds which from
unfit to deliver. The inspectors were at
once dispatched to the scene and they
spent the remainder of the day putting
their stamp of disapproval on the game.
Kerosene Employed.
The form in which Dr. Woodward's in
spectors expressed disapproval in the
cases of these rabbits and birds and chick
ems, etc. was by liberal use Of kero-
sene, SO if any person in the District while
eating any of these popular animals or
fowls should happen to detect the odor Of
kerosene it's sure thing they have had a
condemned product served to them. 1t will
not be their fault or the landlady's, but
that of some one who has succeeded in
smuggling some of the condemned objects
marked with the kerosene by the inspectors
But 1t is not regarded as at all likely that
any such experience will be chronicled
1t Is shown by the daily reports made by
these inspectors that on Thursday the fol-
towing condemnations were made: Sixty
two chickens, 20 turkeys. ducks. 731 game
birds. 2787 rabbits and squirrels; Fri
day, $50 chickens IS turkeys. 6S1 game
birds, 2,7S rabbits and squirrels. The
total number of condemnations made yes
terday had not been reported to the health
office, but will be recorded tomorrow morn
ing. DR.. Woodward, however, expects the
number to continue as large as the two pre-
ceolnB Gays.
DR.. Woodward stated yesterday that
shippers of rabbits take less care than do
other shippers, and that rabbit shippers
are less qualified for shipping game than
are shippers OF other game usually. The
rabbits are thrown together, he said. hun
dreds of them in one box, which in most
instances Is air tight and no ice Is used.
Consequently. by the time the stock reaches
Washington it Is generally spoiled. 5-.-
One of the inspectors who was engaged
in these wholesale rabbit condemnation pro-
ceeding said he opened one rather small
air tight box from West Virginia which
contained more than hundred rabbits, and
tied to the legs Of one of the animals was
q note written by some small boy who was
just about large enough to shoulder gun
and hunt for rabbits. The note read:
mister Civ me the money for these by re-
turn mail. 1 need 1t. signed Jimmy Wines"
II guess the little fellow will wait some
time for his remittance, as every one of
his stock was condemned" remarked the
inspector.