REPORT OF STATE DAIRY COMMISSIONER 427 



NECESSITY FOR STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF THE SANITARY 



FOOD LAWS 



Sanitary food laws have been of inestimable value in procuring 

 for the public a safe food supply. Wholesome foods are easily made 

 dangerous by being handled or stored under insanitary conditions. 

 Methods which obtained in the manufacturing and handling of our 

 food supply a few years ago are a far cry from present-day methods, 

 due to the enactment and enforcement of sanitary laws. Food offi- 

 cials found it difficult and were often met with opposition in trying 

 to enforce these laws when they were enacted. The installation of 

 cases to protect foods often involved considerable expense and the 

 average dealer was loath to spend any money to safeguard the health 

 of the public. Many can recall to mind the confectionery with long 

 counters covered with trays of many hued candies with the prospec- 

 tive customer picking over and tasting the different varieties in 

 search of one that struck his fancy. I dare say in many cases these 

 counters of candy were not even covered during the process of 

 sweeping to remove the dust and dirt tracked in from the street on 

 the feet of customers, mixed with the expectorations of those pos- 

 sibly tuberculous. 



An illustration of these conditions is recalled wherein a large de- 

 partment store maintained a candy department of the "hollow 

 square" type. The owner was advised that it would be necessary to 

 put the candy in cases which would protect it from the contamina- 

 tion with dust and dirt. Trie order was complied with with some re- 

 luctance, but efficient plate glass cases were installed. In visiting 

 this store to see if the order had been complied with, it was noticed 

 that the clerk was busily engaged in wiping a very perceptible layer 

 of dust from the top of the case. Upon inquiry as to how she liked 

 the new case she complained that they kept her busy cleaning off the 

 dust. When asked where the dust went before the cases were in- 

 stalled, she admitted that it must have collected on the candy. Many 

 even more glaring instances of food contamination can no doubt be 

 cited by many food officials. 



In conjunction with the fight against dust and dirt in our foods 

 there has been waged a relentless war against the housefly, possibly 

 one of the greatest spreaders of the "white plague" and many other 

 diseases of mankind. It is a wise provision that requires the use of 

 proper screens over all openings in buildings or rooms where foods 

 are handled, but in many instances, without the occasional visit of 

 the inspector, these would be allowed to become full of rust holes 

 and worthless. Sanitary laws have been directly responsible for the 



