Evening star., 1937-07-25
SLAUGHTER HOUSE
MAY Be SUBJECTED
TO STRICT RULES
nuisance" Code to Impose
Rigid Standards on Pen.
ming, Killing.
POULTRY BUTCHERING
PROVISION is SOUGHT
Conditions in Many Small Stores
Constitute Health Menace,
Officer Says.

nuisance code designed 10 i'm.
pose very rigid standards with respect
to the penning and slaughtering Of
live stock in the District Of Columbia
was being considered by the Health
Department yesterday as necessary
precaution," due 10 the failure of pro.
tective legislation aimed at the opera.
ton Of undesirable industre. IN
the city.
DR.. Daniel L. Seckinger, assistant
health officer. said he was anxious 70
see the adoption Of strict rules. espe-
clally for the guidance Of the Health
Department. If large slaughter house
Is to be conducted in the Bennin2
area. He will consult with Or. George
Z. Ruhland when the health oficer
returns and also with legal officers
OF the municipal government.
His proposal is in line with the sig
gestion Of Corporation Counsel Elvood
H. Seal that plumbing and sewer reg
ulations should be overhauled as
We're the zoning regulations some
months ago.
DR.. Seckinger represented the Health
department. at a conference with Seal
and others last week at which It was
decided to use all legal means avail
able TO prevent operation of the pro-
posed Adolf Gobel meat packing plant.
Even should the Gobel Co. abandon
Its plans to build in Bennmg, it was
pointed out that there are half
dozen firms in Washington that kill a
small number Of calves and hogs daily.
Rats. Vermin Breed.
There should also be included I,
the nuisance code a provision repulat-
ing poultry killing in the District
DR., Seckinger said yesterday. A rec
ommendation to this effect has been
MADE by DR.. Reid AshWorth, director
OF the Bureau of Food Inspection.
Inc killing Of chickens in the back
rooms OF hundreds of small grocery
stores and markets has been a yeys-
tious problem for the Health Depart
ment over long period. DR.. Ash
worth explained that in the last month
or 80 at least SO small stores have
discontinued the practice of killing
poultry. rather than risk trouble with
the Health Department..
He was OF the opinion that poultry
| Killing should be confined to centers
IN certain industrial or market areas,
and DR.. Seckinger was in accord with
that idea.
Ihe way the average small store
operates is to kill their chickens in a
rear room" DR.. Ashworth explained
| Many OF them constitute a menace
to health by the breeding of flies and
Vermln. The scalded feathers and
entrals are dumped into garbage cans
that are collected only twice a week,
In one store. where We made the pro-
prletor tear out filthy room in the
rear where the killing was done and
chickens were kept in crates. the
| Workmen found swarm of rats under
the floor boards. They killed enough
| TO MI two bushel baskets and as MANY
| more got away
Many Co Operating.
Many Of the small dealers are CO..
operating with the Health Department
by making more sanitary arrange
ments, DR.. Ashworth explained. At
least so stores have discontinued
| chicken killing, he said, rather than
90 to additional expense or face
charges of conducting = public
| nuisance.
The large killing establishments,
where thousands of poultry are pre-
pared for the markets daily, are un-
der constant inspection.
Arrangements are being made al.
the Fagmers' Market, DR.. Ashvorth
explained, to have all poultry killed
and dressed in one establishment.
That Arrangement, however, does not
prevail at other markets.
AS in the case of poultry establish
ments there are no general reeula-
tlons covering meat-packing houses
or stockyards in the District.
Referring to proposed slaughterlng
operations in Benning. DR.. Seckin1er
said: The report of the surgeon gen.
eral dealing with the Gobel plans saws
it would be impossible tc proven pol
luton OF Piney Run, which flows
through the property. There is a
District law which prohibits the pol
luton Of tributaries of the Potoms c
River and it seems to me that the
Health Department should do every-
thing possible to guard against pollu-
ton
This question of pollution should
be dealt with adequately in any reg
ulation that is drawn up"
The Health Department indicated
it was necessary, also, to consider the
Union Stockyards in order to provide
protection against disease-spreading
flies and mosquitoes. DR.. Seckinger
said he believed it would be easier
to control the flies than it would be
to prevent pollution from the pack
ing plant and the stockyards.
MNE NnAMrrn