36 BULLETIN- 1317, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE 
and unfit animals assumes greater hygienic importance and fre- 
quently results in a distinct preference for Federally-inspected 
meats. 
The most prevalent defect existing in local regulations is failure 
to provide for continuous inspection at all local slaughtering estab- 
lishments. Often the inspector is not required to be present and to 
inspect each animal before slaughter, and every carcass at the time 
of slaughter and before any portion is removed or offered for sale. 
Often he is called upon to inspect only when the diseased condition 
of a carcass is obvious to the slaughterer or dealer who may or may 
not be qualified to detect disease. In localities where complete and 
continuous local inspection is not maintained there is lack of proper 
protection for the consumer. Even though he may understand the 
necessity for inspection he will find difficulty in safeguarding him- 
self through purchase of Federally inspected meat since the marks 
of inspection do not usually appear on retail cuts. 
Many of the small local slaughterhouses operated by individual 
butchers are not only insanitary but filthy. The typical small 
slaughterhouse is so constructed as to preclude the possibility of 
maintaining it in a sanitary manner. In a city of 50,000 inhabit- 
ants, in which 8 or 10 individually-operated slaughterhouses were 
furnishing a substantial part of the fresh meat supply in 1921, the 
strict enforcement of an ordinance making proper sanitary require- 
ments resulted in the immediate closing of all but one, and in con- 
centrating slaughter in this one plant where sanitary conditions 
were observed. It is believed that sanitary statutes and ordinances 
should prohibit the sale of meats from animals slaughtered under 
conditions that do not meet the sanitary requirements of the Federal 
Bureau of Animal Industry, and that they should require the same 
standards in regard to diseased conditions as are provided for Fed- 
eral inspection. Adequate provision should also be made for the 
effective administration of such regulations. 
SANITARY CONDITIONS IN EETAIL SHOPS 
Of the 2,679 stores in 20 cities (see Table 20), concerning which 
the sanitary conditions were reported, 60 per cent were below the 
standard of " good." The term "good " is here used to represent con- 
ditions where the interests of the consuming public are protected in 
the matter of sanitation. It implies that the building where the meat 
is handled and sold is properly and adequately lighted, drained, 
plumbed, and ventilated, and is provided with proper doors and 
screens to protect the meat from dirt, dust, flies, and other sources 
of contamination ; that the floors, side walls, ceilings, furniture, and 
shop equipment, including ice boxes, display cases, meat blocks, 
racks and shelves, choppers and grinders, saws, cleavers, and knives 
are kept clean; and that the clothing of operatives engaged in the 
handling of meat is reasonably clean. "Medium," "bad," and 
"filthy" are relative terms used to indicate in a general way the 
degree of departure from the standard of "good." Under sanitary 
conditions below the standard expressed by " good," there is danger 
to the consumer, and the value of rigid inspection usually provided 
earlier in the chain of distribution is grealty impaired. 
