Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-08
SUPPLYING CERTIFIED SERVANTS
By FREDERIC J.. HAsKIN.

party lines, and try things out on a
small scale that might be regarded as
too disturbing and revolutionary in
more complex communities
Thus the Montclair Board of Health
were discussing the milk inspection
system. Somebody suggested that IL
was Illogical to inspect milk and not
Ice cream. which Is made from milk
or cream-anda almost rs liable to trans
NIT infection. Having taken the frs.
step. there was no place for the lori-
cal officials to stop. II ice cream ia
Inspected. why not bread? And IL
prcad, why exempt cakes and candies?
And II you inspect a baker. how can
you consistently refrain from inspect
In tho walter and the ice man, and
the clerk who wraps up your cream
puTs?
now. Montclair provides n compul-
sorry examination every three months
ior all persons cngaged in food man
utacturing and milk handling. and all
cooks and walters In hotels and restau-
rants as well. The system works with
out much trouble. Some opposition
has been encountered on the mar, ~
the employees themselves, and a rov,
or them have quit their Jobs ratbcr
IMAM submit themselves to examination.
but the board considers that a man
VINO quits has practically confessed
,na. ne huners from some chronic and
infectious disease.
The inspection system has justified
itself By detecting several cases Of
chronic infectious disease I'm men on.
gagged In handling food products. In
"ouition TO the number frightened into
qute'hs oE the prospect OF exa.nina-
tion. Besides this. the inspectors were
lucky enough TO catch, ono case Of
scarlet fever in the very early stages
IN a bread-wrapper at a local baker,.
There is a local ordinance TO the effect
that all bread sold in tho town must
% wrapped at the bakery. One OF the
men so engaged showed suspicious
symptoms 20 the examining physician,
although the man himself did not even
suspect that he was sick. He was iso-
iatcd on suspicion. and in a few DAYS
came down with scarlet fever. II Is
impossible TO estimate how many cases
were prevented by this opportune dis
coVcry. Such a case, however, Is pure
chance. with an inspection every three
months. the board does not claim to de-
tcct consistently anything but chronic
diseases.
1t Is impossible to apply tho inspec-
tion system. under the present ordi-
nance AT ieast. to foods which are sold
In Montclair, but manufactured out
side OF the town. However. the way
inc system is regarded by the really
conscientious manufacturer is shown by
the fact that some corporations who
sell here and manufacture elsewhere
nave voluntarily had their own EN-
p!oyees examined and forwarded tho
result OF the examination to the board.
me results are published, to the con-
sequent beneit of the acquiescent cor
porations. In the future. however, tho
town hopes TO have An ordinance nv
which tho Manufacturers OF any food
products sold in Montclair must have
their plants and employees regularly
inspected, wherever they may be To-
Gated.
"A few months ago the HousewJves's
League of Montclair held a. meeting to
~standardiZe the servant question. They
intended simply to take up questions OF
wages ana general working conditions.
However. the board Of health had it's
organized machinery for tnspection
ready TO hand. also knew of the cases
aforementioned, where persons who
were centers Of Infection had been TAX
Ing care of children and preparing food
In private homes. So the board ap-
preached the league with the servant
inspection proposal.
1t was OF curse mpracticable to
make inspection of servants comDul-
sorry. There is doubt as to the con-
stitutionality of such an arrangement,
as we'll as to the way it would be re-
garded by some of the housewives
themselves. But 1t was eminently prac-
ticable to arrange a method Of volun-
tary inspection, and that is what Mont
clair has done.
The project is still in the experi-
mental stage. 1t is difficult to con-
clude from the experience OF the board
so far whether individual cooperation
Will be ready enough to make the the
DRY really efficient in practice. as an
additional safeguard to the health Of
the community. At the very least, how
ever, 1T is capable of being a great
benefit to the careful housekecpcr.