University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-01-21
A FOOD EXPERTS ADVENTURES
Dining Car Walters Step Lively When Doctor
Cutler Comes Aboard--What He Doesn't
Approve Goes Out of the Window.

A JOlly-lOOklnS man Wltu q SldT VI
his coat strode down the aisle of a
dining car. AS he seated himself a.
one of the tables and gave his order,
he had the undivided attention not
only of his own negro waiter, but
of every other servant on the car,
including the cook, who was poking
his head around the corner of the
narrow pantry-way.
The man with the star ordered fish.
There was much hasty consultation
in the crowded hot kitchen. then the
very best piece of fish in the refriger-
ator was prepared and served him.
One would have thought he would be
pleased with it. 1t really looked
tempting But the man stuck his
fork in the fish, turned it over, looked
at it on both sides, lifted his plate
and shifted at it vigorously. Next
he opened the windOw-screen at his
elbow, and slid the appetizing-looking
food out on the ground that was
rushing past.
Then, waving aside the negro who
was protesting that he "sholy did
think that fish was puffeckly good,
boss" this unusual patron strobe
back into the kitchen of the diner.
Everybody there made way for him.
Luckily the dinner hour was just
over, or some of the people at the
tables might have had to wait even
longer than usual for their orders.
The visitor opened the refrigerator
and lifted out the contents, article by
article. All of them he smelled,
some of them he tasted with the tip
of his tongue. Those which did not
seem to please him, he piled up on
the floor at the side of the icebOX.
Others he returned to the shelves.
Then he looked into all the recep-
tacles where the kitchen supplies
were kept. He scraped at the tray
used for making bread, and ran his
fingers around the inside edges of
cream bottles and milk cans.
What he didn't like he ordered
changed. He watched one negro
throw out the food he had just taken
from the ice-box and showed another
how he should and must remove 4
narrow line of dirt that had accumu-
lated on the inside of a can of pure
cream" Then when the kitchen
seemed clean enough to suit his fancy,
he warned them to keep it SO and de-
parted, leaving several darkies very
properly impressed with the necessity
of cleanliness in the cooking and
serving of food.
This man was DR.. w. p. Cutler.
commissioner of pure foods for the
state of Missouri. He was on one Of
his routine inspection trips of the
railroad dining cars in the state.
What are the specific duties of il
pure food commissioner" We'll" said
Doctor Cutler, "they include such
things as sending out recipes for
wholesome cheese at home,
from pulpits on the duty
of health. and finding wives for lonely
young farmers, with about every
thing that lies i'm between. The food
goes behind the scenes
in hotels and restaurants, inspects
the conditions of cleanliness, or lack
of it, and shows them just how the
cleanup is to be done. He goes
through grocery stores, meat markets
and dairies. confectioneries, anywhere
food is prepared or sold. He is in
charge of an educational food show
which is sent out eight times every
year. He talks to schools and wom-
ems clubs on the Importance of pure
foodstuffs.
"One instance of the trials a food
may have. l spoke to