All communications relating to the publications of the Department of Health should be addressed to the Commissioner of Health, 149 Centre Street, New York Entered as second class matter May 7, 1913, at the post office at New York, N. Y., NEW SERIES. VOL. II. OCTOBER 4, 1913. No. 40 FOOD INSPECTION. Section 46 of the Sanitary Code in its new form demands the protection of certain classes of foodstuffs from contamination by flies and dust, whether they be displayed inside or outside of any premises. A number of offenders against this provision have been fined in court and many new cases have been instituted. Food Inspectors have been instructed to enforce vigorously the provisions of the Sanitary Code relating to the sale of foodstuffs colored with copper salts. Where this material is found in the possession of importers the Inspector embargoes it and raises such embargo only upon official notice from headquarters that the importer has filed a written notice stating that he has withdrawn such material from sale within New York City. All goods containing copper sulphate and found to be on sale in the City of New York will be condemned and destroyed forthwith. This latter course must be preceded by the taking of a sample for analysis and the embargoing of the material pending the result of such analysis. Such a course is necessary, as the burden of the proof that copper sulphate is present rests on the department, and not on the holder of such goods. DETECTION OF IMPURE FOODSTUFFS BY DEPARTMENT INSPECTORS. In Part 5, First Division, of the Court of Special Sessions there were heard on Monday, September 29, 1913, sixty-four cases in which violations of the Sanitary Code were charged by Inspectors attached to the food section of the Division of Food Inspection. These cases were all from the Boroughs of Manhattan and The Bronx, a the jurisdiction of this Court does not extend beyond these boroughs. A summary the sixty-four cases shows the disposals to have been as follows: Cases disposed of Cases adjourned Fines assessed of 21 43 $1,255 00 Subdivided, these cases may be classified as follows: Violations relating to candy.. Violations relating to meat and fish.. Violations relating to butter, eggs and cheese. Violations relating to fruits and vegetables.. Violations relating to preservatives in foodstuffs. Total.. The following are the details of some of the more interesting cases: 1. In an ice cream and candy manufacturing plant on upper 8th ave., Borough of Manhattan (case No. 2627), the Inspector found extremely unsanitary conditions. He stated that "the room where said manufacturing is carried on is about 18 by 35 feet and has a shelving on two sides. All of this shelving was filled with dirty boxes, some of which were full of or partly filled with melted and worm eaten candy, which, on being disturbed, caused a swarm of small flies and moths to fill the air. Within five feet of these shelves was a machine in which all the ice cream used on the premises was made. The shelving and other woodwork and closets were slimy and filthy. All corners were filled with rubbish and clothing." The Inspector condemned and destroyed 85 pounds of assorted candy, 10 pounds of peanut butter, 25 pounds of wormy figs, 30 pounds of gelatine, "all of which were wormy, mice eaten, dirty and unfit for food." The owner stated that he seldom visited this part of the premises and was unaware of the existing conditions. This case was adjourned. In the basement of a large Broadway restaurant (case No. 1214) the Inspector found 14 dozen unsound eggs, which he destroyed. The owner of this restaurant had no satisfactory explanation to offer. He pleaded guilty to the offense and was fined $50. In the basement of a Spring st. restaurant (case No. 10765) the Inspector found 217 cans of vegetables which were unfit for food, all of which he destroyed. The owner of this restaurant first stated that these vegetables were good and then admitted that they were bad and that he was holding them for return to the wholesaler, but he refused to state from whom he had bought them. In court he pleaded "guilty" to the offense and was fined $50. On the premises of a large supply company in W. 14th st. (case No. 1806) who make a specialty of selling to the restaurant and hotel trade fine grades of game and poultry, a squad of Inspectors found that fully 75 per cent. of the stock on hand was putrid and unfit for food. The offending corporation pleaded "guilty" and was fined $500. At a restaurant in Allen st. (case No. 1986), where manufacturing of cheese cake is a specialty, there were seized and condemned 30 dozen putrid eggs. The owner of this restaurant refused to state from whom he had bought these eggs. The Court fined him $100. At a candy factory in Pitt st. (case No. 2634) the Inspector seized 480 pounds of assorted candy, some of which he describes as being "dirty, containing flies, dust, etc." One bowl of this was covered with a dirty shawl. A quantity of soiled clothing and rags were in this manufacturing room, some of which were used as a covering for two casks of fermented and wormy orange juice. The owner of this candy factory pleaded "guilty" and was fined $25. In an ice cream factory in upper 1st ave. (case No. 2541), which adjoins a stable and a poultry slaughter house, the Inspector describes conditions as being "filthy in the extreme." He seized and destroyed about 100 pounds of mixtures which was about to be frozen into ice cream and which "was contaminated with dust, dirt and flies." This defendant was fined $20. ISSUANCE OF BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR ENTRANCE TO SCHOOL. During the eight days immediately preceding the opening of the school term the Bureau of Records of the Department of Health issued 20,834 copies of certificates of birth to children about to enter school. During these eight days 13,591 persons applied to the Bureau of Records of the Borough of Manhattan for records of birth, and the number of certificates issued exceeded those of the corresponding period of last year by more than forty per cent. Much inconvenience was experienced by the public on account of the large crowds and resulting delays, but this inconvenience was entirely unnecessary. The bureau is open every working day in the year for the purpose of issuing certificates of birth to children who enter school for the first time, and if parents will apply at any time during the summer months, either in person or by mail, they can obtain these necessary certificates without unnecessary delay. The great majority of people applying for certificates are poor and are compelled to bring their little ones with them, and these children, as well as their mothers, are occasioned much discomfort while waiting in the crowded corridors of the department building. It is hoped that in the future applicants will realize that these certificates can be procured at any time during the year prior to the admission of the child to school, and that it is not necessary to wait until immediately before admission in order to make their applications. Another complication results from the fact that a large number of persons apply to this department for certificates of birth not only for children born in other parts of the United States, but also for those born in all parts of the world, not realizing, apparently, that only births occurring within the limits of the City of New York are reported to and recorded by this department. DEATH RATE FOR THE WEEK. There were 1,248 deaths and a rate of 12.12 per 1,000 of the population reported during the week just past, as against 1,274 deaths and a rate of 12.85 for the corresponding week of 1912, a decrease of 26 deaths in absolute figures and a relative decrease of 79 deaths. There were only 2 deaths reported from measles and 2 from scarlet fever during the week. Diphtheria showed an increase of 7 deaths, whooping cough 5 deaths and typhoid fever 6 deaths over the corresponding week of last year. There were 105 deaths reported from diarrheal diseases under five years of age, a decrease of 25. Pneumonia showed exactly the same number of deaths in each of the weeks under comparison. There were 124 deaths reported from tuberculosis, a decrease of 21 deaths. The greatest decrease was shown in the mortality from Bright's disease and nephritis, 77 deaths being reported, as against 115 deaths for the corresponding week of last year. There were 95 deaths reported from violence, an increase of 30, 19 of this increase being due to accident. Heart diseases showed an increase of 20, the figures being 195, against 175 for the corresponding week of last year. There were 14 fewer deaths of children under five years of age, which was exactly counterbalanced by 14 more deaths of adults over sixty-five years of age; between five and sixty-five years there was a decrease of 26 deaths. The death rate for the first forty weeks of 1913 was 14.09, as against 14.34 during the corresponding period of 1912, a decrease of 25 of a point. VITAL STATISTICS Summary for Week Ending Saturday, 12 M., October 4, 1913. Corrected according to borough of residence. †The presence of several large institutions, the great majority of whose inmates are non-residents of the city, increases considerably the death-rate of this Borough. Deaths by Principal Causes, According to Locality and Age. Week Ending. 9. July July Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Sept. Sept. Sept. Sept. Oct 27. 4. |