Evening journal., 1919-07-11


The amount It's water rights permit Il
to take, but consumption IS approach
ing the maximum these rights allow,
and 10 is important that further rights
be secured in the near futre.
"The system is well administered
being in charge Of competent engln-
GERS who have al their disposal a well
equipped laboratory under the direc-
lion Of an experienced bacteriolOgist
and chemist A very complete daily
record OF the operation and perform
ance Of the filters. and OF the quality
OF water served different parts OF the
city Is on file in the pumping station.
The water gives good satisfaction
Dealing with the subject OF meats
and slaughter houses, the report says
in part:
"'rhe most reliable figures obtainable
1 indicate that a very considerable por-
/ tiOn or the fresh meats consumed I'm
/ Wilmington are slaughtered, dressed
I and sold without inspesction Although
The available figures are not complete,
( a conservative estimate indicates that
about % per cent. Of pork. 20 per cent
I OF veal. ~ per cent Of beef and per
cent Of mutton, consumed in the city
undergo no veterinary inspection for
/ the presence Of disease or other condl-
I tlOns deleterious to health, and are
I slaughtered under conditions far from
sanitary.
"The city Of Wilmington has passed
from time TO time. certain ordinances
relating 10 slaughler-hOuses and
meats. The requirements for slaugh-
ter-houses are totally inadequate and,
such as they are. are not observed.
More stress is laid on the nuisance
Than on the sanitary features Of these
places, but even the nuisance features
are, in nowise. controlled. as would
doubtless be testified TO vehemently
by those living In the vicinity Of these
establishments Among other things,
one Of the requirements for slaughter
houses states that the floor shall be
graded to a point whore blood and gar
bage will be received in some suitable
vessel placed there for the purpisc. and
In another section 10 Is provided that
no blood or offal from the slaughter
houses shah be discharged into a pub
lie or private sewer. This law is quite
generally violated as in at least four
blood Of slaughtered animals drains into
the sewer. This, however, Is a minor
detail as compared with the general
unsantary characir Of these places.
"There is one Federal-inspected
slaughter and packlng-house in VII
mlngton. This establishment is CON
Quoted in a sanitary manner, under
The supervision Of efficient inspec-
tors"
Tie report tells OF unsanitary con-
diti0ns in five other slaughter houses,
and adds:
IN addition to the animals slaugh-
tered and dressed in the places above
mentioned there is considerable
amount Of meat brought into the city
by farmers This farm-killed meat is
under no regulation, whatsoever, as
regards methods OF slaughter of trans
pOrtaiion. and 10 IS not uncommon TO
llnd u dirty and fly-blown upon It's
arrival.
"The retail handling OF meats in
stores ard markets Is just as repre-
hensible as is that in the slaughter
houses Especially Is this true Of the
curb markets and the nearby stores.
which, for The most part, open directly
on the street, without screens or 9th
er provisions against flies. While a
few Of these places employ screens or
fans, the greater part Of the meats
exposed for sale have no protection
whatsoever. in one meat market re-
Gently Inspected. a young clerk was
seen TO be killing fles on roast Of
beef by swatiing them with a cleaver.
While the motives which actuated this
procedure may have been OF the best,
II Is suggested that such practices
might well be dispensed with.
In referring to restaurants, Dr.
Terry says in part
"a large percentage OF The population
OF Wilmington eats at least one meal a
day i'm some public eating place and
no inconslderablc number are de-
pendent on such places for all three
meals Restaurant inspection and !
supervision does not form a part OF |
the activities Of the City Health De- /
partment. yet It's need is obvious.
"The general attitude Of the proprie /
tors OF the restaurants inspected indi- /
Gated desire to cooperate with what /
ever sanitary requirements might be |
inaugurated and In more than one |
instance. they remarked on the total (
lack OF official supervision on the part /
Of the city Health Department
Dr.. Terry makes the following /
recommendations
The main provisions OF a slaughter !
house and inspection law. adequate TO |
the needs OF this city, should COM |
prise at least the following require |
ments:
1. That all meats sold in the city /
bear the stamp OF the City Inspector, |
unless already passed and stamped by
the Federal Inspection Service.
. That all meats locally slaughter I
ed be slaughtered only in abbatolrs /
constructed and maintained as re-
quired by the ordinance. except in the |
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