New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-16
One Fair" Place Discov.
cred by Health Inspect
ors in Days Hunt.
DEARTH OF MEDICAL
CARDS IN BIG HOTEL
Few Required Certificates Found
in House Employing 1000
Proprietors Protest.

No change for the better IN the
preparation and service Of food in
lunch rooms and restaurants was found
yesterday by Board of Health inspec-
tors, who added eighty eating places
TO the list of those visited in the cam
paign to improve conditions. Inspec-
tions were confined to the hotel and
retail shopping district One small
place, managed by woman, was rated
fair" The other seyenty-nine we're
dad"
In one large restaurant, where $500
persons usually cat each day. soiled
towels were found in use by the en-
ployes. Clothing worn in the kitchen
was dirty. Large pans of meat were
on the floor in places where the food
was brushed by employees aprons, and
all the food was not properly covered
to prevent contamination and unneccs-
sary handling.
Proprietors Protest Ratings.
In a large hotel. only a few Of the
medical cards required by city ordi-
nance for workers in kitchens and din
ing rooms of public eating places were
found among the one thousand en-
ployes. Rubbish had accumulated IN the
cellar, walls and ceilings Of rooms
where food was stored were found in
bad repair, canned food was left stand
ing in open tins, refrigerators were not
clean and open garbage cans were dis
covered.
Restaurant keepers have protested to
the Board of Health against having
their places rated bad" when the mat
tiers complained Of were of minor i'm
portance.
"Such places easily could be made
good" said Lucius p. Brown, manage.
of the campaign yesterday. "Restau-
rant keepers are beginning TO pay at
tention TO what we are doing, and many
of them will make the desired improve
ments before our inspectors reach them.
We have twenty men and two women
inspectors. They must visit about 300
places But this campaign is not to be
sporadic or sensational. II is going 20
be kept up, and before we get through
we EXPECT reinspections 70 show that
there are a lot more good places than
bad.
IF conditions in a place are such
as a person of average intelligence and
feelings would like 20 have where he
eats. we call il good or fair II con-
ditions Of preparing or serving food
are bad in matters essential 70 good
health we naturally call the place bad "
Requirements Are High.
tam -, The in
spector's report of the conditions in
the eating places he visits. These
include the condition and care OF
kitchens. dining rooms and store
rooms; the care of apparatus and
utensils; the manner of screening doors
and windows: ways Of storing food; the
cleanliness Of employees clothing, and
the provisions for running hot water
for cleaning dishes and utensils. Every
item must be answered yes" by the
inspector before a place will be rated
good" and then the coveted white card
will be given only when subsequent in
spections result favorably.
Twenty-four Of the items pertaining
TO matters essential TO good health are
starred II these are answered favor
ably on the inspectors report the place
is rated fair" The word mo" after
one starred item condemns an eating
place 70 receive a red card, denotIng
the rating bad"
Stringency OF the Health Board =
rating is shown by the rule that If tho
walls, ceiling and floor of the kitchen
are not oil painted the restaurant can.
not be called better than fair" II
lockers for employees street clothes are
not so conveniently placed as to tempt
the employees to use them instead ot
hanging clothes in store rooms or kitten
ems. restaurant cannot be good" II
running hot water is not provided or
if the walls and ceilings of kitchens,
dining rooms and store rooms are not
kept in good repair a restaurant can be
classed only as bad.