New-York tribune., 1911-10-30
.LEDERLE ASKS FOR MEN
Says 1872 More inspectors Are
Needed in Food and Drug Cases.
CITRATE PROSECUTIONS UP
Health Department Has 80 Men
to Watch 81, sos Retail and
1884 Wholesale Houses.

| Twenty cases to he prosecuted by the
Health Department are on to-day's calen-
dar I'm the Court of Special Sessions. They
represent violations Of a number Of the
sections OF the Sanitary Code, principally
in the use of prohibited ingredients in the
manufacture of citrate Of magnesia. Last
week there were even more cases prose-
| cuted in Special Sessions by the depart
ment. most Of which. however. were for
violations Of the provisions Of the code pro-
hibiting the sale Of bad food. one Of
fender received sentence of thirty days
| for the sale Of rotten eggs. while others
violating numerous sections Of the code
! were fined. There have been 1.lS1 arrests
since January /. 1911. SOS Of which cases
have resulted n fines, for a total Of
Sc. 1850
When asked Yesterday II the number Of
cases being prosecuted indicated any spe-
! Cial activity on the part of the food in
spectors of the Health Department. an
official said it did and that there were
| many violations Of the Sanitary Code in
this city, and arrests were being made as
fast as the offenders could be apprehended.
Thirty inspectors are available TO cover
| a
!otal of forty-hve. the other fifteen be-
/ ing entirely confined to the supervision Of
| the milk supply.
! Health Commissioner Lederle said many
| people were under the impression that the
United States government was back Of
most Of the food prosecutions here The
| Commissioner. while not trying to mini
mize the work being done ~ the federal
authorities, said he felt that the people of
the city should know that the local depart
ment authorities were working TO the limit
of their means to run down violators Of
| food and drug ordinances.
| The department has asked the Board Of
| Estimate for lS2 more inspectors at a sal
ary of $500 each. Part Of an explanatory
statement appended TO the request is as
follows:
! The department of Health has been for
/ many years struggling with the problem
| OF protecting the public from the dangers
! II impure food In a city Of four million
Inhabitants with the ridiCulously inadequate
/ force of thirty inspectors. II IS believed
that the time has come for the city of New
York To undertake this work on a scale
/ commensurate with the importance Of the
public health.
AS outlined 10y the department. such an
increase. bringing the total number OF in
spectors I'm wholesale and retail establish
ments Up 10 2O3, would make possible an
adequate supervision OF foodstuffs sold in
this city.
| Recently the Board Of Health amended
the Sanitary Code so as 10 make possible
the prosecution Of persons selling foodstufs
containing saccharine. This action followed
that of the national food inspection officials
in putting ban on its use
With the assistance Of the Police Depart
ment Health Commissioner Lederle is try
ing to apprehend violators Of those sec
tions Of the code prohibiting the sale of
exposed foodstuffs and the csrting through
the streets in open vehicles Of meats and
other perishable articles of food. Much
success. according 10 the department, has
followed the concerted action of the two
departments.
There are q. SOS retail shops in the ereate-
city and 53si wholesale houses which must
| lie inspected, and, according TO figures com
piled by the food division. the present force
is ridiculously inadequate properly to do IT,
There are 1857 retail shops in Manhattan
| alone. and tho number of inspectors re-
ouired would be thrty-eight. In Manhattan
there are also 8.6Ss wholesale houses. and
these require. It is said, siNty-nine in
spoctcrs.
In the retail trade requiring inspection
are bakeries. butcher shops, confcctioners'
and grocers' shops, and among the whole
sale dealers are bakeries, butcher shops
and purveyors Of butter. eggs. cheese.
canned goods, vinegar. cider, coffee. con-
fectionery, FISH, flavoring extracts. fruits.
ice cream, ice cream cones. table and min
eyal waters and wholesale and retail drugs.
as well as poultry slaughter houses and
cold storage plants.
The department. it was said, was now
after the "big fellows