The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-24
REPORT Of DAIRY
AND FOOD DIVISION
IS FULL OF MEAT
Commissioner Purcell Urges Modified
Cavn Service TO Improve Inspeo-
tors Efficiency.
FOOD HANDLERS SHOULD
BE FREE FROM DISEASE
Person who Deals Out Provisions
Should Not BE One to Transmit Dis
ease With Them --- Departments
Highly Satisfactory Year,

The annual report OF Commissioner
Benjamin l. Purcell, of the dairy and
food division, is just from the press,
and is a document well worthy the
careful perusai OF all persons inter
ested in the development of the dairy
ing interests of the state, the protec-
ton of the purchasers of feed from
the dealer in adulterated products.
and. even more important, the pro-
lection OF the peoples food supply
from careless. unclean and indiffer-
ent handlers.
This division OF the state govern
ment of comparative recent birth has
already rendered Invaluable service
The report covers operations Tor the
year ending March ], 1917. Assist
ants in the Department made 2.147
visits to cities and towns, an increase
of about 500 over the previous year;
while 23,727 inspections were made,
az against 20,sS4 the previous year.
A large quantity of stock and poultry
food was ruled out OF the state on ac-
count of its failure to measure up to
the reasonable requirements of the
law. and during the year 1852 sam
pies OF foods and feeds were exam
ined and reported by chemists and
other experts of the department
Institute Prosecutions.
Seventy successful prosecutions
We're instituted by agents of the de-
partment, 123 cases were reported to
commonwealth attorneys and fifteen
!, cases were reported to the federal
government under the federal pure
food and drug act, these cases cover
ing insanitary storage and distribution
OF food products and many other
forms of violation of the food law.
Favors Modified Civil Service.
The inspectors report greatly i'm
proved sanitary conditions in the
handling of food products and gen
orally better observance of the law by
food handlers. Commissioner Pur-
cell stops here to point out that some
OF the Improvement along this line is
clearly attributable to the greater IA
miliarity OF the inspectors with their
duties, and recommends to the con-
sideration of the governor the adop-
,, ton of a modified form of civil ser
vice to govern appointments to the po-
sition of inspector. I'm the firm belief
that the results would be much more
! satisfactory to the employees than the
present system, and that the state
would profit in securing much more
efficient and effective work II their
employees who are charged with dis
!
tirely untrammeled by political infiu-
ences and considerations
Much unwholesome. adulterated and
otherwise unfit food was destroyed,
having been shipped into the state
principally by outside parties who
hoped to escape detection.
The prevailing habit among magis-
trates of imposing light sentences on
persons guilty of nlisbrandng is de-
clared not to be an adequate deter
rent, and the commissioner places in
his proper class the man guilty Of mis-
/ branding, frequently taking into his
hands the very lives of the people In
the process of adulterating products.
The commissioner declares such a
person Is as great criminal as the
violator of other laws and should be
/ held equally responsible.
Proper state aid to food manufac-
turing plants in the increase OF their
output and in food conservation gen
| orally IS urged and an increased APP
preparation OF 5000 in this especial
| branch OF the work is recommended.
Employees Should BE Examined
As fundamental principle OF
food sanitation Ii IL urged that all
employees of food-handling estab-
lishments should be examined
physically,'to the end that all per-
sons who are afflicted with conta-
gious or infectious diseases, or
other physical ailments making
their employment in such capacf-
tics detrimental to the public
welfare. should be displaced.