Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-08-02
4 Word From Iowa's Health Board
(From Iowa's Health Bulletin)

/ decent people than the thought of eat
| ing food handled and probably con-
terminated by these and ether agencies,
and vet the carelessness exhibited by
many employers of this class of Ia
! Dor, is Indicative of the danger, and
/ personal observation furnishes ample
| evidence that these conditions exist 10
an alarming extent.
There is indeed urgent need for gen.
| eral inspection of all animal products,
of the places, where such articles are
prepared and kept for sale. and of the
persons employed in handling them.
| Such inspection. to be reliable ana
I complete must extend to the very door
| of the actual consumer. and should m
cude butcher shops, slaughter houses
/ bakeries dairies. hotels, and festau-
| rants: likewise all persons employed
| in these establishments should De re-
| ouired to produce satisfactory evil
dence that they are free from tuber-
culosis. syphilis, and other commune
| able diseases.
Under Section 1858 of the code. local
boards Of health are clothed with au-
thority to make such regulations as
are necessary for the protection or the
public health respecting nuisances,
sources of filth causes of sickness.
rabd animals and quarantine. not IN
conflict with any regulations OF the
state board of health" The conditions
referred to in this article are a serious
menace to public health, therefore To-
cal boards have the authority to make
and enforce such regulations as VIII
protect the public within their 1urls-
diction The general assembly VIII not
again be in session until January. 1909,
consequently there can be no state leg
islation for at least two years. while IN
the meantime conditions Will neces-
sarily grow worse; the responsibility
must therefore devolve upon the local
boards Of health.
The various municipalities should
provide for a local system of food IN
spection and the licensing of diaries
and slaughter houses. Stringent reg
ulations should be adopted requiring
that all cows used for dairy purposes
shall be submitted to the tuberculin
test and that the meat of slaughtered
animals be inspected under a system
similar to that adopted by the federal
government when possible. A compe-
tent veterinarian should be appointed
as inspector. Private slaughter houses
should be abolished, and in lieu thereof
each municipality erect and maintain
a sanitary building properly equipped
with modern conveniences SO arranged
that each local butcher can be accom-
modated with a separate slaughter
room at nominal rental. The regula-
lions should prescribe that all animals.
the meat of which is to be used for
human food, shall be slaughtered and
inspected in the local abattoir, or in
similar establishments under federal
inspection.
Regulations defining the sanitary
arrangements and inspection of diaries
should likewise be adopted and proper
ly enforced. The local board of health
should also require that all persons
engaged in the handling, manufacture
or preparation Of meat and dairy COM
modities, should produce satisfactory
evidence that they are free from tu-
berculosis, syphilis and other COM
municable diseases. Iowa, with it's
rich agricultural interests, can afford
to use the best and choicest of these
ommodities at home. and the people
have the right to demand that the ref
use is no longer dumped on the local
markets