FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 283 



might be shipped, to points near and distant, with the least possible danger of 

 becoming polluted in transit. Many States, through their appropriate 

 officials, became interested and meetings and discussions upon the subject 

 became frequent. The matter was taken up by the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, hearings being held by the Board of Food and Drug 

 Inspection, resulting in the publication of 



FOOD INSPECTION DECISION, no, 



Shellfish. 



Issued October 15, 1909. 



" The Department has investigated the preparation and shipment of 

 oysters, clams, and other shellfish. A public hearing on this subject was 

 held by the Board of Food and Drug Inspection on May 20, 1909. At this 

 hearing growers, packers, dealers and the public were afforded an oppor- 

 tunity to be heard. 



' It is unlawful to ship or to sell in interstate commerce oysters or other 

 shellfish taken from insanitary or polluted beds. The pollution of oysters 

 with sewage can readily be detected by bacteriological examination, and 

 such polluted oysters or other shellfish are adulterated under section 7 of 

 the Food and Drugs Act of June 30, 1906, in that they contain an added 

 ' poisonous or other added deleterious ingredient which may render such 

 article injurious to health.' 



" Such articles are likewise adulterated under section 7, in the case of 

 foods because they consist ' in whole or in part of a filthy, decomposed or 

 putrid animal or vegetable substance.' 



" It is unlawful to ship or to sell in interstate commerce oysters or other 

 shellfish which have become polluted because of packing under insanitary 

 conditions or being placed in unclean receptacles. In order to prevent 

 pollution during the packing or shipment of oysters, it is necessary to give 

 proper attention to the sanitary condition of the establishment in which they 

 are packed and to use only receptacles which have been thoroughly cleansed 

 as soon as emptied. In order to prevent the possibility of contamination, 

 it is desirable that such containers be sterilized before using. 



' It is unlawful to ship or to sell in interstate commerce oysters or other 

 shellfish which have been subjected to ' floating ' or ' drinking ' in brackish 



