Evening journal., 1910-08-29
PROTECTION OF
FOOD SUPPLY
Member Of Body Says This is
Only Object of New
Meat Regulation
MAKES REPLY TO
CRITICS OF BOARD

AL:-"Recently the Board OF
Health of this city, has passed, ac-
cording to the law comforting such
powers upon It, certain regulations for
the improvement of the sanitary con-
ditions now obtaining in the mar
kets. Since then some editorials have
appeared in certain papers reiterat-
ing the objections advanced by the
various meat dealers who attended the
conferences with the board In view
Of these facts will you kindly grant
a member Of that board space in
which to reply?
I'm considering the situation GER
tain facts are patent to every one.
First, the market conditions in
1 nuencing the sanitary conditions sur
rounding our food supply need i'm
provement, especially those foods
which are being exposed for sale on
the sidewalks.
Second. Meats, both dressed
meats and poultry, need special at
tention because of the extreme readi-
ness of decomposition and absorption
of Infection
Three. There are three sources
Of danger from which protection is
most imperative. These are, First
/ Flies because of their uncleanly orr
gin and habits which so readily trans
NIT infection Second-Street filth
blown about as dust by the wind so
prevalent in this community. Third
Handling Of meat. as many hands be-
long to persons having scant intimacy
with soap and water.
Assuming the above statements to
be true and but few visits to our
market streets by any one who cares
to be observing. will be needed to
satisfy him or her Of their correct
ness. The question is how to inn
prove upon, or better. totally to do
away with them. II is this problem
which the present board has inherited
from previous boards and the prev
ious board from the many preceding
Il. Careful consideration has been
shown to main lines of action. First
To do away with the street markets
entirely. Second-To compel those
doing a curb business to so screen
and care for their meats that con-
tamination and infection may be
avoided.
THE first proposition would. of
course. be by far the better, If not in
deed the best of any which have been
suggested. There are. however, two
great difficulties. First, the street
markets are licensed under An Act of
the Legislature to repeal or change
which would require much time and
effort. Second. market houses of suf-
hcient size to accommodate the traffic
would have TO be especially designed
for the farmers use, be located on
convenient sites. which would unques-
uonably cost much money and would
have TO he carefully plannel under
modern sanitary rules and precau-
tions. In either case much delay
would take place. certainly at least
a year, since no such project is al
present under way In the meantime
that which would necessarily happen
would be that the present most un-
clean conditions would be allowed
to continue uncontrolled. Surely NO
such disinterested observing carefully
the present state of affairs, and es-
pecially those under which the poor
must purchase their food, would de-
sire that state to continue.
Third Further. space in such
market houses would demand a rem
tai much in excess of that paid by the
farmers for street and sidewalk space
II is more than open to question il
those farmers who now visit this mar
ket would be willing to enter those
houses and pay the extra cost All
the arguments which have been ad-
vanced by them in references to the
necessity of raising their prices be-
cause of the cost of the small protec-
tive case desired by the board OF
Health, would be redoubled and yet
again. we're they compelled to enter
such market houses and pay these
aforementioned increased rates
which would necessarily exist, fol
people who are unwilling TO submit
TO mild regulations, are far from be-
ing willing to submit to those yef
more elaborate and costly.
From what has been said II MAY
be safely assumed that the question
OF market houses for the use of tbs
farmers are at present out of con.
sideration II is therefore necessary
for those who desire prompt anc
efficient i'm health matters to turn tC
those methods close at hand which
may best be used This would seen
to be the screening ordinance as
adopted by the Board of Health. This
ordinance contains not only the ideas
of the Board of Health. but also a
compromise regulation which wat
suggested by and indorsed by the
committee representing the Butchers
Association, and was agreed to and
at no time objected to by such indie
pendent butchers as attended the con
ferences with the Board of Health
The aim Of the board. we would
against say. is protection Of the food
supply against the three sources oi
trouble. flies. filthy dust from tn,
street, handling Of meat by various
hands.
"To select that material of protec
tion best adapted to the purpose /
would be we'll to examine those quail
fcstions which a protecting medium
must possess II will readily con
cede that such must be light II
weight, transparent, readily obtain
able, not too costly and must b,
equally efficient aaginst each and al
of three sources Of danger as abov,
mentioned The following substances
present themselves: Netting Of vari
Gus materials. sheet isinglass, thir
celluoid and glass. In examining
the nature of these materials II vii
be noticed that netting any mater
ial whatever would necessarily be in.
efficient, since the dust readily passes
through the meshes Isinglass anC
celluloid are out Of the question be
| cause Of their lack of trauanara