New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-01
Health Board Will Begin
Examining 10000 Eating
Places in Six Weeks
DEPARTMENT NEEDS
MORE INSPECTORS
Emerson Tells How He
Hopes New Project
Will Work Out

Health officials admitted yesterday
that it would test 10 the limit the re-
sources Of the Bureau Of Food ana
Drugs TO make effective the ordinance
requiring all hotels, restaurants, luneh
rooms and free-lunch counters IN the
city TO display permit certifying
that they were maintaining the stand
ards required by the Department OF
Health for the preparation. storage
and sale OF food.
Nevertheless, the board is planning
to make the initial inspection within
six weeks of the 10000 esta hments
affected by the ordinance. Flfty-hye
inspectors will be constantly at work.
Ultimately. if the Board of Estimate
should increase the Health Depart
ment's annual appropriation, 1t IS
hoped to extend the permit require
lacnt to grocery, delicatessen ana
candy stores. soda fountains and all
other places where food is sold.
The Hotel Association OF New YORK
CITY. which includes all the big Eos-,
telries, will cooperate with the Board
OF Health, Thomas d. Greene, presi-
dent Of .lo organization, said last
night
Want Proper Safeguards
ave wish to maintain around the
preparation nd service OF food the
proper safeguards for the public ne
asserted "At the same time we be-
ieye that the hotels of New YORK are
now the best in the country IN that
and every other respect. they are
models for cleanliness
The arrangements of several agie ed
with Mr.. Greene in their attitude
toward the ordinance. In many hotels
the Ledere Laboratories make
monthly examination and full report
on the condition OF kitchens, store
rooms and foodstuffs.
Hotel men agreed that there would
be hearty support in their business OF
anv movement TO maintain high or
improve low standards in the sale OF
foodstuffs.
There are two effective ways Of
controlling retail sales Of food
Health Commissioner Emerson said
Yesterday. zone is by the system OF
grading places handling foodstufs as
good. fair or poor The other is by
the system of permits. the issuing OF
the permit being contingent on the
proper sanitary construction and suit
ability of the establishment in which
the business is done and the holding
of permit being contingent on the
maintenance of such proper construc-
ton and the following of sanitary
methods.
Adequate Machinery Needed
The permit system, obviously, can
not attain best results unless there is
ADEQUATE machinery for enforcement,
which means large number OF IN
spectors and proper policing.
"There is an increasing tendency
among all agencies having TO do with
the control of food purity and food
dccency TO place establishments un-
der permit for the reasons that the
road 20 decency is shorter along tins
line. that there is more legal punch
to it and that results can ordinarily
be obtained more quickly.
However, the meagre equipment
which the average food control has IN
the way Of personnel makes the adop-
ton of the permit system matter
in which it is necessary to move care
fully. The number Of inspectors al
lotted 20 the Health Department by
the CITY is, at this time, insufficient
to Justify placing all establishments
selling food under permit. but 1T can
handle certain lines of business un-
der this system, and possibly all in
time" -,
Inspections under the ordinance will
begin soon.