CONDITIONS SURROUNDING EGG INDUSTRY. 



19 



COOPERATION OF STATE OFFICIALS. 



Profiting by the failure of the former attempt to bring about the 

 loss-off system of buying, the support of the State board of health 

 was early enlisted in the cause. This was an important step, with- 

 out which the movement would have met the same fate as its prede- 

 cessors, for the activity of the State board of health served to keep 

 wavering buyers in line through fear of prosecution for handling 

 bad eggs. It is a pleasure to state that the secretary of the board, 

 Dr. S. J. Cmmbine, was most active in supporting the movement 

 and lent the force of his department to its successful operation. 

 Placards (as below) were printed and posted in about 3,000 stores 

 throughout the State where eggs were bought or sold. 



WARN IXC, BAD EGGS. 



The Kansas food and drugs law forbids the sale or offering for 

 sale of eggs unfit for human food. "Sec. 7, Subdivision sixth: 

 If it consists in whole or in pan of a filthy, decomposed, tainted, 

 or putrid animal or vegetable substance," etc. 



Keg. 1 1 , Par. C: "The sale, keeping for sale, or offering for sale 

 of tainted or rotten eggs is prohibited." 



Inspectors of this department, and all police officers of the State, arc 

 instructed to enforce these provisions of the law. 



KANSAS STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, 

 By the Chief Food and Drug Inspector. 

 TOPEKA, KANSAS, June 11, 1910. 



INVESTIGATION OF CONDITIONS SURROUNDING THE EGG 



INDUSTRY. 



After the above buying agreement had been accomplished, and the 

 assistance of the State authorities assured, the efforts of the bureau 

 were at once directed to a comprehensive study of the conditions in 

 the field and a campaign of education was immediately begun among 

 the Kansas farmers. The following account of the methods used in 

 making this study may serve as a guide to similar work which may be 

 undertaken in other States. 



As the first step, a packing house was selected whoso manager was 

 in sympathy with and believed in the practical good to be accom- 

 plished by such a study. The association with such a packing house 

 made it possible to investigate shipments of eggs, whenever de>ired, 

 from their origin on the farm, and to observe the changes which 

 might occur. By virtue of enjoying the confidence and friendship 

 of the manager, it was also possible to get into touch with some of 

 the smaller buyers and stores shipping eggs to him. Through these 

 buyers and storekeepers it was again possible to make the acquaint- 

 ance and secure the confidence of the farmers furnishing them with 

 eggs. Thus a complete chain was established from the farm to the 



