Evening star., 1925-06-22
FOWLER DEFENDS
FOOD INSPECTIONS
Demands Explanation of Fed
eraI Charge That Impure
Meat Is Sold Here.

Aroused at the announcement by
the Department of Agriculture that
Washington is one of seven cities
cited as Outstanding examples"
where sanitary methods in the sale
of meats are lacking, DR.. William
c. Fowler, District . health officer,
this afternoon went to Assistant Sec
retary of Agriculture r. w. Dunlap
and requested an explanation"
II deny that insanitary conditions
in the handling of meat or any other
foodstuff exist in the National Cap
ital," DR.. Fowler announced prior
to his conference with Mr.. Dunlap.
II was greatly surprised at the state
ments publi3hed in the press by the
department this morning, especially in
view of the fact that l was not con-
suited nor even advised that an in
vestigation was under way here
1t developed today that the press
statement issued by the department
is really in the nature of boomerang,
as the District health officer is also
the official agent of the Department
of Agriculture in the enforcement
of the food laws in the District of
Columbia If this enforcement has
been lax here. it was pointed out in
official circles, then the department it
self is responsible.
Short Weights Charged.
Allegations in the statement that
meat is being seld on short-weight
scales '.in thsuAs visited" brought
from George n. Roberts, municipal
superintendent of weights and meas
ures, an official statement defending
the inspection work of his department..
Dr. Fowler asked the Department
of Agriculture to furnish him with
what information it has on which to
base it's assertions regarding the in
sanitary conditions reported in Wash
ington.
"If the Department of Agriculture
has some special data along this line,
1 certainly will be glad to get it, DR..
Fowler said today. Our inspectors
make daily inspections of all food
distributing places in the District and
as an evidence of the thoroughness of
their work large quantities of food
have been condemned. OF course, do
not claim that in all of Washington
there do not occur instances of i'm
proper handling and sale of meats.
especially in hot weather, but l do
say that the Health Department is
constantly on the alert for such Of
fenses and constantly is prosecuting
persons found guilty of food law
Violations
Large Quantity Destroyed.
Health Department records disclose
that since July l last 1880 pounds of
meats, exclusive of poultry, fish and
liver, have been condemned and de-
stroyed by Health Department in
spectors, who found the food UNFIT for
human consumption.
The statement of the Agricultural
officials came as a bombShell in the
Office of the District Health Depart
ment, as DR.. Fowler and his force of
'22 food inspectors have taken special
pride in their persistent campaign
against impure foods.
Il believe on the basis of our find
ings here that Washington is far
ahead of most of the large cities as
regards sanitary conditions in meat
markets, retail grocery stores, etc.
DIR. r. r. Ashworth, chief food T.
spector. declared.
In defending the weights and meas
ures department Mr.. Roberts pointed
out that there is nothing to prevent
a grocer or butcher from changing his
scale after inspection" He said that
test purchases and surprise inspec-
tions are continually being made by
his forces.
100000 Examinations.
"The law here is reasonably suf-
ficient.' Supt. Robert declared.
What I need is little larger
force, better paid force and a little
better equipment
More than 100000 examinations of
weighing and measuring apparatus
were made last year, he added, and
$500 were condemned
The Department of Agriculture
gathered its information by personal
interviews with retail dealers, local
Continued on Page 4, Column ~