Evening star., 1925-07-01
FOWLER TO SEEK DATA
ON ALLEGEDlY DIRTY
MEAT STORES HERE
CONTINUED from First PaseJ

public markets and to large extent
In Individual me- rkets in Washington
In some insth noes inclosel display
case have been installed, but few are
refrigerated The most modern public
markets have adopted the refrigerated
display counter for fresh meats. The
depa rtment Believes that the use OF
such equipment affords A necessary
safeguard TO public health.
Or. F'owlers questions. '.Elease
state specifically where the stores are
located in this District that are insani-
farv In the extreme" and Please state
specifically the location Of the stores
where apparently the floors behind
the counters were used to hide refuse
and Nth and had not been cleaned Tor
months we're answered respectively
a. follows:
Locations Not Given.
The most insanitary stores observed
we're located in business districts
Other stores in which insaritafy con
ditions were noted. we're scattered
throughout the poorer residential sec
tions and were operated principally
by foreigners.
The question Please state spe-
cifically the location Of the stores
where apparently the floors behind
the counters were used to hide refuse
and filth and had not been cleaned
for months" brought this answer:
Such stores were observed mostly in
one downtown contested district"
Secretary Dunlap said no instances
where choppink blocks were used as
support to disembo~el chickens and
for cutting meats without any attempt
at cleaning" were observed in wash
inston and the records in support Of
the statement do not refer to Wash
ington." Further, the secretary said,
instances Of attempts TO influence
health officials In making reports did
not come to the attention Of the de-
partment's investigators while work.
ing in Washington"
No Diseased Meat Found.
The question Of DR.. Fowler. ba .ed
on a statement in the preliminary re-
port that animals known TO have re-
acted from tueerculin tests were
slaughtered outside the city limits and
the meat returned and sold for ron.
as follows: The recordA in support
or this statement do not refer to
washington.
In answer to Dr. Fowler. question.
plea se state specific instances in
which there was no control over
communicable chronic diseases in
meat cutters and clerks.'" Secretary
Dunlap said:
Inquiry as to whether health Ger.
answered in all cases in the mega
tive"
Data Gathered for Years.
For several years. Mr.. Duniap's let
ter said. the Bureau Of ,Atrfcult,iral
Economics. in connection with it's re-
search work in the marketing OF sri-
cultural products. has been gathering
data relative to the retail marketing
OF meats This work" he said. has
included all pha ses OF the retailing OF
meats. such as methods Of distrlbu-
ton. trade practices, costs, "A rlits ton
consumer preferences and other in
f1uences affecting consumptive de-
ma nd. Consideration was given to
methods OF handling from q 80 nitsry
sta afdpoint beca use Of the influence Of
"a r,ita ton upon the consnmptive de-
ma nd for meats and the effect Of such
demand upon the live stock industry
As whole.
1t was found from a study OF more
than 1.4h0 meat stores. the letter
continued. that although considerable
progress has been made in recent
years. there are still many outstand-
ing examples Of undesirable practices
which should be corrected to the
benefit of the industry and the con-
Stunning public.
1T was recognized particularly
with respect to sanitary conditions
that while the large ma jority OF meat
dealers use good. sanitary methods,
yet there are conditions that need
more attention than health author
tiles have been able to give, because
Of limited authority. inadequate per.
sonnAl or lack Of public support nee
essary for such purpose. While the
insaniIary practices referred to were.
insanitary practices referred to were
sufficiently numerous to justify their
being mentioned as practices which
should be prevented whenever possi-
BE
In closing his letter. Secretary Dun.
lop said: II want To assure you that
thiA department has approached this
subject tn 4 wholly impartial manner