The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1859-08-25
The Impure MILK" Inye.tIga ion
ReDOrt of CommIttee.

NNSpOAs VI
The subjoined is the report made to the
Mayor, last night, by o special committee of
citizens, appointed at the request of the dairy,
man: ta
CINCINNATI, ONO, August "a, 1859.
TO Ris Honor r.. NJ. Bishop, Mayor of Me
city of Cincinnati-SIR: In obedience to writ
ten notice given US of our appointment, by
you, as a committee to investigate charges
against Barney Van Laer, at his own request,
"for selling impure milk" the undersigned
availed themselves of the conveyance, you
was go kind to send to our places of busi-
ness, and, to-day, visited the dairyfarm,
occupied by Mr.. Van Laer, short distance
from ludlow, Kentucky. .E
We found, on the place, forty-three COWS,
and personally examined their appearance
and condition.
To properly understand the character of
the milk, and the previous condition of the
cows, we took the testimony-in the presence
OF the owner of the dary--of Mrs. Elizabeth
Hopkins, who says that she resid, on Il 0
farm before the dairyman moved on it. Mr..
Van Lear keeps his cows, during the winter,
in stables, on the Plank Road, in Storrs
Township, just below Cincinnati, but, during
the spring, summer and fall, they graize on
this Ludlow farm. Here the pasturage is
abundant, and the cows have access to
reservoir ofspring-water at all times, and no
still-slop is fed tothem on this farm. Some of
those present. on that day, gave theiropinion
that the COW was buckeyed, or poisoned
that several visitors from Cincinnati were pre-.
sent at the time and knew of the occurrence
he described the condition of a large brindle
COW that, for long while, had q soro on her
teat, which was so tender as to cause her to
kick at those attempting to milk her, and she
was always taken to a corner and chained be-
fore she would give down her milk. The com.
mittee examined this COW and found her as
described; large scab still covering the sore
The proprietor confirmed the narrative of the
witness as to tho specific cases Of sore teats,
and of the death Of the COW, which the wife of
the proprietor, herself, acknowledged had been
indiSposed for three weeks, partaking Of but
little food but they contended although SO
suffering tho milk was good. Barney Nietect,
driver of the milk cart, says he has been with
Mr.. V. L. for two years, but there has been, to
his knowledge, no umpy milk put in the cans.
The COWS were not sick, bat few teats, as
stated, were sore.
Mrs. Hopkins testifes that of the thirty
cows brought over last May, six Of them had
diseased udders, as she discovered in few
days, from being called upon to milk them.
Their teats were raw and swelled, one or two
giving bad milk, thick, feverish and lumpy,
like starch, for she had MIXED such in the
cans. On being interrogated why she did so,
she said she was employed for others, and it
was not her business to pour the milk out
the proprietor knew the milk was from the
COWS whose dugs we're sore, for he and his wife
had complained that they never had such
trouble before as this one COW had caused
them. The witness obtained roots, and, with
sulphur and other matters, made salve for
them. She says Mr.. V. L. had got out of pa
tience, himself, with the delay and trouble
thus brought upon him. All this time the
milk was carried off, and, as she supposes,
sold.
She described a COW, whose milk, when first
given down, would esprit out in lumps;" that
having been miked on the ground, the re-
mainder of the milking was placed in the
cans. .
Three other COWS gave milk which would
not foam, and that, in her opinion, was not
good milk; and of one COW that the proprietor
had said that he would not drink it himself
for three dollars; that the new cows purchased
were not SO effected. She described the sud-
den death, as If of staggers, Of a cow, which,
up to the day of her death, had been con-
tinuously MIXED.
Five COWS, from our observation, bore evil
dence Of disordered udders and sore teats; and
from milking two of the teats Of one COW, q
thick, lumpy, clotted mass exuded. We regret
that the testimony is to be taken as to only one
dairy, for it may be that the party affected by
this examination, is not 80 bad as numerous
others, who make business of making money
at any event, by selling all the milk they can
obtain from COWS, at small cost, whether
healthy or unhealthy. But the range of our
duty is ciroumscribed to this individual case;
and we say, emphatically, we would not like
to use the milk ourselves, and we cannot
recommend the public to do so. Those who
furnish great city with milk, should reject
from their dairies all COWS affected as several
of these are.
None but good milk should be mingled in
the draught portiOned out at our tables. But
we should not have been sent to Kentucky, to
expose but slight portion of this ovil-the
Greeks are at our doors We believe the case
of Mr.. V. L. ia infinitely better than many
others in and near this city. His COWS are gen.
orally in good condition, with the exception Of
those mentioned, and we believe those were
diseased from close confinement In the stables
on this side, where they are fed, during the
winter, on still slop.