The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-12-31
ByJ II. W4.LU-


ity to visit all places where food Ii
manufactured or distributed, who car
go to the bakery, the dairy, the
slaughter house, the grocery store
and the restaurant and determine on
1 the spot whether or not the food
'htRence prepared and distributed Ii
SANITARY and wholesome. Let us take
for instance, the problem of the meat
supply, which have been particular.
Fly wrestling with since have been
In office. At least one-half of the
meat consumed is Of home produce
4 ton, that is prepared in small slaugh
tier houses not under Inspection. Meat
/ animals are subject to many dis
leases which impair or DESTROY the
wholesOmeness of their meat as hu-
man food. but the presence of the eff
4 lects OF the disease are not always
tdiscernable in the dressed carcasses.
piece Of meat may carry the germs
OF dangerous disease without giving
any indication OF this fact to the con-
sumner. To detect disease there should
pc an inspection at the time of
slaughter. To protect the people at a
point where they are unable to pro-
ftect themselves Is, generally speak
ing, the object of meat inspection.
Diseased meat is the direct cause Of
disease In those who eatit. The con-
sumner, being himself unable to de-
termine whetherSor not the meat he
buys Is, diseased. demands that he be
protected by the state from the GU
pidity or ignorance, or both. Of those
from whom he buys. The problem OF
regulating the small slaughter house
IS a difficult one. 1T Is not possible
for the state to station inspectors at
every slaughter house. The cost of
inspection would equal the value Of
the output of many small plant.
operated, perhaps, but one day in a
week. and then used only for the
slaughtering of a beef or two and
few hogs or sheep. Still, / believe
1t Is possible to have local inspection
clean slaughter houses and guaran-
teed meats at the same high prices we
are now paying for no inspection,
nithy houses and. all too frequently,
diseased meat. The question can be
solved by the federal government. II
has been truly said, IA well regulated
system OF slaughter houses is as ne
cessary to public health as is a we'll
gulated system of hools to public
education
And what of the grocery store a.1d
meat market? While they may handle
Ioods which are free from ;..ultera-
tlon and which are properly labe' ed.
can the consumer be sure that his |
purchases are clean and wholesome?
Does he know that the dried fruits
crackers, sugar and other articles
commonly sold In bulk, are not COW
cred with dust deposited on them
When the floor is swept or stirred I'D
by the customers, and are free from
Mes and worms? Does he know that
Inc refrigerators are free from ,dor
ana mould; that the butcher is clean
IN dress and person; that meats are
not displayed outside and inside tEe
store Where they may be covered with
lust from the streets? 1T is we1 Ia
remember that while these places
may be sanitary in every community
mere are some dealers who's. meat
blocks are unclean and covered with
lies, whose refrigerators are SHINY
md foul smelling, whose LacK rooms
ire filled with accumulated filth,
Vhose cellars are damp and dirty.
whose fruits are wormy, whose fruits
lno vegetables are decayai and whose
business methods from first In last
ire not those which shoald oniain in |
IN establishment which exists only in
ne handling of food products. 3Mu.h
ruit and candies eaten BY orr chill
iren is sold from stalls and Dush
arts in the street? These stocks Of
'oods are rarely protected from dust
md Nth and every wind that blows
leposlts its quota of germ laden dirt
m some article designed as food. The
andes and ice cream that .e,nnt Tho
lickels from children's pockets ba-
ause OF their moist and stick ma
ure and because they are the finest
4 1000 for bacteria, should be sold
nder conditions of cleanliness that
annot possibly be obtained IN the
pen street, or even on The exposed
ounter The only sanitary yay III
andle all foods which are prcDared
or eating, such as broad. rast,ies
gs, dates, small fruits, she.i,,d n,,ts
nd similar articles Is to fisnlav
hem, II they must be displayed far
ne purpose OF sale, under glas CIV
red case and to deliver them to tbe
onsumer in dust proof packages. Ill
lust as necessary that the hotel
r. refreshment kitchen and lining
ooms should be operated In q clean
way as 1t is that the kit ,ha1 ana
ming rooms of our homes should he
potlessly clean, and yet at tile pres-
at time, what are we doin. to ,ro-
'ct the unfortunate man VINO Is com
elled to live at the restaurant nr
otel? 1t is just as impoftanr that
e should 60 behind the scenes here
at the meat market, and ms ri
ways do in every town that ins,,ect
efore leaving, although some do not
link we have right to make snch
\ inspection. One thing the con-
liner is beginning to realize Is that
can food is worth more than dirtvj
'od. First. because clean food il
ore liable to be more pure than
and second because clean
.od Is an insurance against disease
hat Is an additional cent per ouart
the cost of milk when we know N
lat the money purchases a .oyCI
e that the baby will live@ Ev'
extra cent in. INNER harm