The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-05-27
A Very InstructiveLetter to
the Housewife by a Mem
ber of the Civic Depart
ment of Tucumcari.
FOOD SANITATION
MEDIUM OF HEALTH

Much interest has been manifested
recently, in our town, over making 1t
more healthful, as the first step to.
ward making il more beautiful There
is probably no more important means
of keeping the public in good health,
than through the medium of food sani.
tation. OF late years much attention
has been given TO this subject, and
Justly so, for many diseases such as tu-
berculosis, ptomaine poisoning, typhoid
fever and the like, are known to be-
distributed through food products, where
they are not handled in sanitary con
dition, and are eaten without cooking.
Flies have very large share in the dis
tributing of such diseases, as has been
proven by several very careful govern
nent tests Cf the past few years.
Fully ninety per cent of our food pro
duc,s pass through the hands of our
grocer, our meat man, or our baker.
The progressive grocer is usually awake
W luc ldtl luut bs
produce in the most sanitary manner,
does he make the most on his invest
mcnt, not alone by saving foods from
waste, but by catering to the very best
class Of people. However, in every
community are some dealers whose meat
blocks are unclean aud swarming with
flies, whose refrigerators are Shiny and
foul smelling, whose storage bins are
uncovered and whose dirty hands han.
die, butter, cheese, etc.
It is only natural and right that we
us the best returns for our money, or
who il the friend of our husband, and
q nearby neighbor, but is il fair to
ourselves and our family to place be.
fore them food which may be contami.
mated with tuberculosis or typhoid few
err This is a question the housewife
should weigh most carefully, for she
is the greatest power for cleanliness,
and she it is who is most directly re.
sponsible for the welfare of her family,
bet every housewife in Tucumcari
visit, frequently, the groceries, the meat
markets and the bakeries. and ascer.
tain for herself in what manner her food
is handled, and where she can, with
safety to her household, purchase table
supplies. She will go into one store
where the butcher with white apron
and clean hands, will cut her meat on
n clean block and weigh IL on clean
scales. lie will use oiled paper in
handling her cheese and butter, while
cutting and weighing it; and chances
are other foods will be cared for ip a
like manner. In nine eases out Of ten,
he will welcome her to look through
his back room or cellar and take n
peep into his refrigerator, for he does
not fear the housewife who is the en-.
emy of "dirt-loving, diseasc.breeding
bacterial" and he will tell her that
long ago he found il money in his own
pocket to keep a clean sanitary store.
Probably the next place she will Wis
it, butcher with dirty, greasy apron
and hands will weigh her potatoes, fill
her kerosene can, and without washing
his hands, cut piece of meat on which
flies are swarming, on n filthy block,
and weigh II on flthier scales. All
around his place she will notice decay.
ing fruits and vegetables, contaminat.
ing the good produce.
Perhaps one will say. "It is not the
health officers place to look after these
details which endanger the public
health Yes, but there are only cer.
'ain things that he can do. lie can
condemn and order destroyed, decayed
fruits, meats and vegetables, etc, hut
tho housewife with her potent argument
of trade bestowed or withheld, must
step in and continue the work. The
health officer can not force the grocer
10 handle butter and cheese with oiled