Evening star., 1937-05-29
HEALTH OFFICIALS
W|NCO-OPERAT|0N
0FPOULTRY TRADE
Food and Market Dealers
Offer to Correct Killing
Operations.
DATA ON SANITARY
REQUIREMENTS ASKED
Problem Said to Concern Chiefly
Slaughter Of Chickens in Rear
Rooms and Sheds.

Numerous offers to cooperate IN
improving the sanitary conditions un-
der which chickens are being killed
in Washington for domestic consump-
ton were being received by District
health officials today from food and
market dealers who slaughter on their
own premises.
Publicity given to such operations
on the part Of hundreds of small
food establishments which cannot be
kept under daily inspection has had
a salutory effect, DR.. r. r. Ashworth,
director OF the Food Inspection Serv-
ice, said today. Meanwhile, he was
planning to call an early session OF
a volunteer committee of dealers who
are assisting Health Department Of
flcials in working out plan for licens-
ing all poultry-killing places In the
District
Along with offers Of cooperation,
DR.. Ashworth said, were calls from
persons wishing information relative
to the keeping of poultry In back
yards and sanitary requirements for
Slaugnterlng operations.
Nuisance Question Raised.
Inquiries into the methods and con-
ditions of chicken-killing places.
which are widely scattered through
the city. were directed as result Of
testimony given during hearings on
the King bill. aimed at the regula-
ton of so-called nuisance indus
tries" Poultry dealers are not In
cluded within the scope OF the meas
ure, but defenders OF livestock slaugh-
ter houses protested before the Sem
ate District Subcommittee that
chicken-killing places were in the
class Of nuisance operations.
Regulations governing the keeping
Of fowls and pigeons on premises in
any "densely populated area OF the
city require permits from the Health
Department. but separate permits for
the killing Of poultry by store or mar
ket dealers are not required.
1t is In violation of regulations, Of
flcials said. to keep chickens or other
fowl within 25 feet Of any adjoining
structure. and the consent OF a ma
jority Of the persons in the block must
be obtained before permit can be
issued Domestic fowl must be kept
in sanitary cages or houses, white
washed inside, and washed at least
once week.
Complaints Investigated.
Some complaints of violations OF
such regulations are being received
and investigated.
Relying chiefly on cooperative
measures, District inspectors said they
were not attempting to prosecute
dealers for maintaining unsanitary
, killing rooms on their premises. I'VE
are getting quicker and better results
by getting them to improve thei,
places under threat Of prosecution 0,
closing them up" explained Richarc
j. Clements, the inspector assigned
to such operations.
DR.. Ashworth said the most i'm.
portant phase of the poultry slaughter.
ing problem was associated with the
business OF killing in the rear rooms
and rear sheds of small groceries ane
| markets.
The Food Inspection Service, which
must keep supervision over 1000 fooe
establishments in the District, has 6
force Of only % inspectors, DR.. Ash.
| worth pointed out. OF these, eigh
are assigned to the dairy farms out.
side the District. Only four inspector!
are assigned to grocery stores. although
1t was admitted that Hundreds" O
such esta blishments kill poultry OF
the premises under methods which
are constant menace to health ane
sanitation.
Many Establishments to Cover.
One inspector is assigned to liv
stock slaughter houses, one to market
and chicken killing places, one to mill
plants, three to restaurants, one II
the municipal fish wharf, one to no
tells, one to bakeries and Ice cream
plants and one to taking samples o
milk
The District appropriation BILL a
1t passed the House provided for fou
additional restaurant inspectors.
Clements receives cooperation, h
said. from the grocery store in
spectors. who can keep an eye OF
the chicken killing rooms in the rea
of the stores. At best, however Will
only four of these men to help, ther
can be no daily inspections.