Hearing of the coming
inspections, the packinghouses hurried to clean up their facilities, but the
inspectors were still horrified with the “clean” conditions. Their report
supported every claim Sinclair made (like rat droppings in the sausages),
except for people falling into rendering vats. However, some people, especially
the large processing companies, claimed there were no sanitary problems in
meat-packing facilities.
While the inspections were taking place, America’s people were horrified by the problems outlined in The Jungle, causing many of them to stop buying processed meats altogether. On June 6, 1906, the Chicago Daily Tribune said “The immediate effect of the packing house exposé was experienced by the wholesale and retail market dealers. Trade in lard, sausage, and canned goods was almost at a standstill, while hundreds who usually buy steaks and chops contented themselves with eggs and vegetables." |