The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-29
ENGLAND NEEDS
. BRITISH SINCLAIR
Conditions Under Which Meat
Is Handled Described as
Terrible.
COMMONS TO INVESTIGATE
Papers Commenting on Probable
Influence OF Panama
Canal.
COMMONS TO INVESTIGATE
BY PHILLIP EVERET.r.

Especial Gable to The Times Dispatch
London. October 2S.-When some
years ago Upton Sinclair in mis- book,
The jungle" exposed TO the world the
thy methods OF American slaughter
and pacing houses. the people of
England held UP their hands i'll horror
and thanked the Lord that no such
scandalous state Of AFFAIRS would ever
be tolerated in England. When pure
food laws were adopted in America and
other foreign countries. the same pco-
pie again felt thankful that they were
living IN d country where honesty Is
the chief asset OF every business man
and where adulteration of food is I'm.
known.
Since then Pure Food and Health
Society of Great Britain has been form
ed and has proved that nearly every
thing we eat Is adulterated. and now
we are suddenly shocked at the dis
covery that what England needs most
to-day is q British Sinclair to strike
fear into the hearts or the men VINO
handle our daily roast beef.
So serious are the discoveries made
TO the nlthy conditions OF most meat
sold in Great Britain that the whole
matter will be discussed in the House
of Commons within the next week or
two
Alfred Moore general secretary Of
the Pure Food and Health Society. said
to me a few days ago: III the con-
sumer knew of the manner In which
the meat he eats is handled he would
Join vegetarian society post haste.
The conditions under which meat is
handled in the markets and exposed
for sale in nearly every town in Eng
F1a ",
detail.
The contamination FIRST begins in
Liverpool, and in slaughter houses,
where without any regard for cleanli
ness. men trample unchecked over the
carcasses From Liverpool meat Is
brought to the public market In Lon
don for the greater part IN refriGera-
tor vans Consigned to private Arms,
II often comes in guards vans. 1t is
carried to the London markets in open
vans. driven usually by uncleanly per-
sons. seated on the actual carcasses.
The meat itself may be Inadequate
~ protected with muslin. but the neck
Is always exposed and the shin -bone
generally uncovered.
The consignments are unloaded by
men in dirty smocks, and the carcass
es are frequently stacked on an un-
swept floor. This state OF affairs pre-
walls ut nearly every meat depot
there is great laXitv at Manchester,
Cardiff, and. Liverpool and Darlington.
I myself have seen a man carry a
newly killed pig. his head inside the
body resting against the Kidneys.
Nov consider the usual condition
In shops. The meat IS hung up In a
manner that exposes It to dust laden
with street sweepings At Christmas
= Ie 20 IL h1,t lcN Ire
hung up which afterwards are cut into
sections, and so further exposed to
floating Inflammation.
The poorer classes are the chief
sufferers from the common practice
prevailing In sill districts. by which
cuttings Of meat, such as chops,
steaks. liver and Kidneys are exhibit
ed in cheap" trays supported on
trestles at an open window. where they
not only lie exposed TO all manner OF
bacilli contained in the dust from the
streets. but are subjected to prom
iscuous handling by all sorts of pass
which is often smelled and thrown
back again. To my knowledge meat
is open to this handling almost every
where in London
'In organic matter, such as meat
pathogenic bacilli finds congenial
ground for propagation. and splen-
did vehicle for conveying Infection is
at once at hand"
If a person is suffering from any
form of tubercular disease of the nose
throat. glands, or lungs the danger
Will be to the next person handling
or smelling the meat. In summer. and
pa rticulariy in such hot summer as
we have just experienced. a very grave
ell -, fra,
of the poorer class shops refrigeratore
are unknown. and as a result the meat
| frequ entity becomes a depositing ground