South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-08-31
CITY STORES IN
GOOD CONDITION
Health Board Has Secured Co.
operation of Dealers, Says
Food Inspector.

South Bends food supply-its gro
ceries. bakeries, drug stores meat
markets and confectiOneries--a far
above the average in point of sani-
tatiOn, according 10 Charles Van
Lake. food Inspector of the South
Bend board Of public health.
For the first time i'm years he says
the health board has obtained the
cooperation OF the city's shopkeeDers
and as q result business rooms as we'll
as the produce they handle, are
clean, well kept and wholly sanitary
The general aim seems TO be 10 please
the public and "a, the same time pro-
tect them from the adulterated food
and insanitary articles of trade,
which in other cities have become a
municipal problem of grave import.
inspection OF meat markets and
groceries requires most of my time.
said Van Lake. south Bend has al
ways had more or less sanitary mar
kets. but il has not been until in re-
cent years that several market pro-
prietors have lived mp To the require
ments OF the law. AS far as i know
there is not one market or grocery
in the city which is wilfully kept in
an insanity manner by its pro-
prietor.
dit on Color.
Most OF the dirt and filth with
which other cities are Waging war
have been completely excluded from
the trade in this city. OF course,
there have been "a few shipments Of
meats and fish from outside of the
state which were bit off color.
However. whenever it is suggested to
"a gTOceTyman or market keeper that
such is the case he asks the the ship
ment be condemned so that he may
get his money back from the whole
saler.
1T is in shipments of fish that We
ind most Of the dirt and disease
germs. These come from the lake
ports. and in the handling OF them
by freight and in improper packing
it often happens that they become un-
tit for human consumption. They
are never sold, however. We catch
them before they are unpackej.
often, and always order that they be
confscated or condemned"
Van Lakes duties as food inspector
of the city call for an inspection of
every market, grocery restaurant.
bakery and other shops in the city
at least once a month. These are in
cluded I'm a monthly report which is
filed in the local office and copy OF
which is sent TO the state board al
public health and inspection.
Demand Clean shops.
Van Lake claims that he has in
duced many bakers and grocerymen
in the city TO brighten and clean their
places OF businesses. and in SO doing
has increased the grocery and meat
trade i'm several sections of the city.
Clean shops are demanded by even
the poorer classes of the city he says,
and Il is this class that needs sani-
tation and cleanliness more than any
other.
Most of the troublesome shopkeep-
ers are TO be found in the outskirts
OF the city. in the west and among
the foreign sections and on the far
east side However. under the tutC-
lage of the local board of health.
even the worst of these have endea-
vored 10 live up o. the laws of the
state and city. with the result that
their shops have been disinfected.
cleaned and repaired until they viii
vie with any i'm the city for general
cleanliness
Among the minor violations oi
state food laws is that of displaying
in open booths on the sidewalks fruit
and vegetable products which are at-
fected bv the weather. 1t IS ordered
that they shall be covered with glass
wood or metal. and that they shall
he raised two feet above the side
walk. The latter demand is Go pro-
hfbit insects and other bugs from de-
stroyng the matter displayed.
This rule, it is said does not apply
20 fruits and vegetables which have
TO be peeled or skinned before use.