Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-05-09
ILLUMINATE THE RA1|
STATE DAIRY AND FOOD CON-
MISSION WARNS RETAIL
MERCHANTS.
DANGERS FROM RODENTS
MANIFOLD AND MENACING
Commissioner Barney Urges Keeping
Of Cellars and Store Rooms in Sani-
<.rx Conditions at Al Times-Rat-
Eating Cats Declared to Be Almost
.. obieetio able 40 Rodents.

as Objectionable 40 Rodents.
Des Moines, May s.-The April bull
>lentin Ct the Iowa state dairy and FOOD
commission which recently was issued,
c, ntains the following Of interest to
the grocers, bakers and butchers OF the
state:
1t will not suffice for the dealer to
temut the purchaser with clean
front" and neglect all other parts OF
lhe building such as the cellar ana
warerccm. Horrible conditions are
many times found to exist in and
about stores which are advertised to
be and are said to be sanitary. Deal
ers should bear in mind that it takes
more than q Sanitary 'front.' to get
by in Iowa In the future and it is the
wish If this department that the ad-,
vice hero given will be needed ana
sanitary conditions put in practice at
once rot in part, but thruout the en-
tire establishment. BY doing this. deal
ers will not only please and improve
their trade, but they will improve their
standing as citizens in the community
1t has come to the notice of this
department that number OF dealers
have utterly failed to observe the SAM
tary law with regard 60 keeping in
proper condition certain parts Of their
buildings, such as cellars and ware
rooms
Cellar and Store Rooms.
One OF the most important places
about food establishment or store
is the cellar and one OF the reasons
why It is 80 sadly neglected Is because
the customer is never allowed to see
it. Even the inspector feels inclined
10 shunt it at times, because of the ter
rible and CHASTITY conditions existing
there. 1t Is too often a paradise for
rats. mice and vermin, to say nothing
about it's poor drainage, its lack Of
natural light and ventilation and its
general filth. Shiftless clerks and
sometimes the bosses" become at
flicted with the habit of throwing
everything which is unsightly into the
cellar for the purpose Of removing 1t
from the gaze Of the customer. hence
q valuabl and costly cellar becomes a
dumping place for filth which is left
TO contaminate goods thruout the store
by the damp. nusty and sickening
.odors which arise and permeate the
'entire building.
The inspectors representing this de-
partment until now have made '.sani
iiary inspections" mostly e the sell
1ng department. of the store while in
sfhe future the inspectors will deal as
much and perhaps more with the cell
Ter and wareroom conditions than any
sother part Of the building. SO it be-
shooves the dealer In order to escape
prosecution TO get busy and place
every part Of his building in compli-
ance with the sanitary law.
Tho Rat Pest.
One Of the greatest and most danger
Gus pests with which the world has
10 combat today Is the rodent, COM
monty known as the rat" Many peo-
ple engaged in handling food stufts
have done absolutely nothing toward
'-'rat elimination" Billions Of dollars are
i3ost annually thruout the world by
allowing rats TO mingle with and dwell
within the food supply. not to speak Of
the lives lost each year thru fatal con
termination given food stuffs by this
great death dealing agent.
There are many ways and schemes
for eliminating rats from buildings.
This is borne out by the fact that some
dealers have their places Of business
absolutely free from rodents and YER
min OF all kinds. while on the other
hand. dealers can easily De found who
allow their buildings to be used as a
veritable paradise for the world
greatest nuisance and enemy.
Dealers who are c0n6l1ctinr hree6tn q
places for rats are 1nf1icting a greac
wrong on their netghbors who are try
ing to exterminate the animal, as we'll
as on innocent people who purchase
the foods over which rats have Toasted
played and scampered.
One of the common and fairly sue
cessful means of discriminating rodents
IS in inclination. Of so-called IRA t
virus" method. It is folly to attempt
to rid place Of rats by trying to kill
one pest with another" such as keeping
cats about the building.
Cats Almost as Bad.
Cat are dirtier and fully as dangerous
to the public health as are the rats with
which the cat deals and even consumes
IT is hard to imagine anything more
sickening or communicating about a
food establishment than free roam
ing, NANCY and diseased, rat-catchlns
cat.
Perhaps the most permanent and
lasting protection against rats can be
obtained by the use OF cement con
struction Of floors and side walls OF
cellars and a covering Of wire screen
over ventilating windows.
Rat poisons should never be used
about food establishment because OF
the danger either from the poison it
self or the rat which partakes Of the
poison communicating the foods.
Let the Iowa dealers in food products
in the various cities Of the state give
more attention to rat elimination" the
coming year to the end that the human
family may become more wealthy,
healthy and happy.
STAND FOR GREATER IOWA.