The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-06
SLAUGHTER PENS
NEEDED REFORM
Unpleasant Picture OF Conditions
Before Food Department
Forced Cleanup.

Such a picture OF conditions found IN
slaughter houses throughout the State
IS drawn in the annual report Of state
Dairy and Food Commissioners w. -.
Saunders ae to make tho reader shud-
der. Tha details are sufficient TO drive
away tho appetite OF those who con-
template them The report was made
public yesterday
Slaughter houses particularly" says
the report. have snown need OF bet
ter sanitary conditions At ouch
places little or no attempt at SANTA
ton has been found. No effort 10 pre-
vent nics from freely circulating
around and on the carcasses OF animal,
that have bscn prepared for gale WAS
being made.
These places arc frequently found
with hog pens right up against the
building. the hogs being able to almost
como on the floor whore the slaugh.
tcrinS is done. In such caacs the
blood and offal of animals butchered
are simply pushed out TO the hogs that
consume this refuse material! The
conditions often surrounding these hog
pens are fearful. at times the hogs
working into the mud auch refuse
material ms may not he consumed.
These establishments are frequently
poorly provided with water, and when
1t Is attempted 10 wash the carcasses
OF animals. dirty cloth Is used, and
water which frequently has been usld
over and over again
Now Cleaning III.
However. there Is "a brighter side.
"a determined effort has bcnc made"
pursues the report, land is bang made.
to create better conditions surrounding
the preparation OF these .carcasscs for
consumption, and the department is
pleased To say that material improve
III ent Is being gotten along this line.
Windows have been screened. hogs and
hog pens have been removed from such
close proximity. and the onal Is being.
In many cases. hauled away 10 re-
mote part, In othsr cases cement
floors have been put In and better
drainage provided: in still other cases
modern ahattoirs have been built"
Special efforts have been made by
the department to foster and encour.
age the dairy interests of the State.
Diaries show Improvement IN many
ways. especially in study of the ques.
ton OF feeding and mixing feeds. 50
that the nutrients can be utilized to
the hes, advantage. All creamcries IN
Virginia have been lacking In sufficient
milk TO place tn I'm on good PAYNE
basis, and the department has made
efforts 10 aid in Increasing the sup
ply There are now only some twelve
we'll established creamcri.s in tho
state, and there is room for hundreds.
Food Inspection.
Summarizing the work In tho food
department, the Inspectors have visited
during the year ll,2s6 places whore
food products were manufactured,
stored or offered for sale. This covers
1869 visits to cities and towns. There
were collected 73S samples OF human
foods and ISL samples of stock f. Ids
Two hundred and nnetysiX packages
of foods were destroyed a s unit for
human consumption, and the sale Of
30,25+ packages Of stock feeds has been
prevented for lack OF compliance. with
the State law.
Another unsatisfactory point has
been in establishments for the bottling
of soft drinks. Conditions. says the
report, have not been satisfactory. and
better things have he:n insisted upon
Steam boilers have been Installed for
the sterilization of rehlled bottles.
Saccharne is largely used and the d.
partmcnt requires its presence to he
declared uron the label. 1t is a sub
stance having a swceteninR affect 500
times greater than sugar. but is with
our food value. When used as sub
stitute for sugar. if It's presence is not
declared. ~ is pronounced fraud
Tuberculous cattle present large
problem. They get into the slaughter
houses making need for inspection.
Then the disease can, according to SCI
entists, be transmitted through milk
from cattle TO thu human system
Towns and cities are demanding q
healthy food suppiy and arc requiring
that the tuberculin test be applied at
regular intervals and that reacting
cattle be eliminated.