The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-05-20
RETAILERS MUST
OBSERVE The Law
State Board of Health Says
They Must Play Ball or
Be Arrested.
NO MORE NOTICES GIVEN
BOARD MEMBERS STATE THEY
HAVE FOOLED WITH LAW
BREAKERS LONG ENOUGH
HAVE AUTHORITY TO ACT.
Especial correspondent.)

Especial Correspondent.)
bakers, butchers and other manufac-
turers and dealers in food stuffs have
got to play ball from now on or be ar
rested The state Board Of Health
says so.
The board has given out the infor-
nation that they will not be notified
again that they must obey the pure
food law, but arrests will be made
without any warning. The board is
in dead earnest about this. It says
1t has fooled with the lawbreakers
long enough. The pure food law has
been on the statute books OF the state
, for nearly two years and half. and
the board believes this is sufficient
ly long time for every dealer in the
state to become acquainted with its
provisions and to learn how to obey
them.
Has Good Law.
Indiana has one OF the best pure
food laws of any state in the union.
1t is pointed to with pride by the
health authorities of the state and
many OF the other states have copied
their pure food laws after that of In
diana. But when the law was passed
the State Board of Health was not
given the authority it needed to en-
force it. It was for time almost
dead letter. but the last legislature
took up the matter where the other
one left off and passed a law that
gave the State Board of Health all the
power it asked for. Now the board
and this is what it proposes to do.
Up to this time it has been the Gus
tom of the board to notify violators
and give them an opportunity to clean
up and follow the law without bving
arrested. But this plan has not work
ed well, Many INSCRIPTIONS dealers
have taken advantage Of the leniency
shown them by the health authorities
and have gone right on violating the
law. The board has at last got tired
of this condition and from now on no
warnings will be given to any one
The lawless ones will be arrested on
the spot whenever they are discover
ed.
/ Must be Sanitary.
| The pure food law requires sanitary
conditions in all places where food
stuffs are manufactured or sold The
buildings and rooms must be kept
clean; no diseased person is allowed
to be employed in or about such
places; all fruits and other exposed
food stuffs must be covered or screen
ed SO flies cannot get at them: there
are many other provisions In the law
that are intended to protect the health
OF the people who buy the goods, and
II the law is obeyed it will produce
good results.
| The State Board Of Health has sent
out number of inspectors into var.
ious parts Of the state. all of the work
being under the direction Of H. E.
Barnard, state food and drug commits.
sioner, and they have found frightful
conditions in many places. In four
towns in southern Indiana, for in.
stance, they found restaurants in
which there was a soda fountain and
shop and restaurant in the same
room. These places were closed with
a bang.
II First Arrest Made.
The first arrest under the new order
: of things was that of Max Baskino. al
South Bend. who was arrested on 3
charge OF conducting an unsanitary
grocery. Since then other arrests
have been made, and Mr.. Barnard
says more are to follow as rapidly al
the inspectors can find the law vic
lators.
1T is easy enough for baker, I
i. butcher, a grocer or anyone else tt
maintain a sanitary place il he want.
i to- said Mr.. Barnard. 1T seem.
strange that men will run the kint
of places we find in some of the town.