Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 92, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1910 — Health Officers Have Powers Of Pure Food Law Inspectors. [ARTICLE]

Health Officers Have Powers Of Pure Food Law Inspectors.

The monthly bulletin of the State , Board of Health just published sets forth that each health officer of the state Of Indiana is .made a food inspector by the pure food and sanitary laws of the state, and that each health officer has failed to do his duty who does not personally inspect the food dispensaries. The health officer has the power at all times to enter any building or room which is occupied or used for the production, storage or sale of foods and to inspect the premises and all of the utensils and machinery. If he finds that the owner, operator, or any person connected with the business is guilty of violation or evasion of the law, it Is his duty at once, to do one of two things, report the violation to the State Food and Drug Commission or to furnish evidence of the violation to the prosecuting attorney who shall begin action against them. The bulletin shows that the health officer at South Bend in February inspected the grocery stores, meat markets, drug stores, confectionery stores, bakery shops, restaurants and hotels and graded them all under the heading excellent, good, fair, poor and bad. Not a grocery store in South Bend was given the rating of “excellent,” although 42 were good and 51 fair. Other business were about at the same proportion. Dr. Hurty urges the health officers to the inspection of all food dispensaries in their territories at once, and says that when all the 700 county, city and town health officers have conscientiously fulfilled their duties in this respect it will be known that the laws are accomplishing their purpose.