Evening star., 1925-06-24
Meats Often Unprotected.

I'm each of these cities" the report
continued, there are certain areas
and in most of these cities there were
individual stores scattered throughout
the cities that are insanltary in the
extreme In most of these cases lit
tie or no provision has been made to
protect meats from flies, dirt and filth.
In some cases meats are sold from
stands on streets and wagons backed
UP to the curb without any protec-
ton whatever. In many public mar
ket places, meats are displayed on
counters with no protection except
that afforded by the building. Often
no counter cases are provided and no
means are provided to prevent indis-
criminate handling Of meats by pros
pective customers. The necessity and
value Of modern refrigeration from an
economic standpoint is not generally
appreciated.
Sanitation In slaughter houses oper-
ated under city and State inspection
in most cases lacked thoroughnesS, the
report continued. deficiencies in
these respects were not unknown to
local health authorities and resulted
either from the influence of political
affiliations or from insufficient funds
with which TO hire competent in
spectors. Instances were cited where
tuberculin tests were slaughtered out
side the city limits and the meat re-
turned and sold for consumption. That
such practices endanger human life is
fully recognized, yet they are to be
found in some cities. In some cases
these deficiencies were, due to a lack
of practical knowledge on part of en-
forcemeut officials.
EmplOyes' Ills Ignored.
In most cities little or no attention
has been given the physical fitness of
meat cutters and clerks by local
boards of health and no control over
communicable chronic diseases is ex-
! ercised. OF the cities studied not more
than four have ordinances dealing
with this important safeguard of the
| health of the community. In practi-
| cally only one city is the ordinance
enforced effectively. In some cases
certificates were issued to applicants
without any tests or physical eXami-
nation"
Under the caption Examples of Poor
| Sanitation" the report said: Stores
were found in which live poultry and
pigeons were kept in the same room
| with unprotected fresh meats. In at
least one case the raising of puppies
on a commercial scale was conducted
| in room back of the store and practi-
cally no protection for the meats was
| provided.
In many such stores the back room
| was used for various purposes, in
sanitary in character, and not related
| to the meat business. Instances were
| witnessed where chopping blocks were
used as a support on which to dis
embowel chickens and for cutting
meats, without any attempt at cleans
| ing. Many markets were visited, par
| ticularly those operated by some for
| eigners and negroes in low-class neigh
| borhoods, where apparently the floors
| behind counters were used to hide
refuse and filth and had not been
| cleaned for months. In one such case
the proprietor, mistaking the depart
| ment's investigator for a local inspec-
| tor, tried to influence his report
Statements Apply Here.
1t was on the foregoing excerpts
| of the report that DIR. Fowler yester-
day addressed a letter to Acting Sec
! retary of Agriculture r. w, Dunlap