New-York tribune., 1870-01-06
SWIIL MILK.
AMONG TIE milk MAIDS"

MENT-sHALL THE LAW BE ENfoRCEDf
About the year 1857, an article from COL
John Hldreth OF Brooklyn appeared In leading LONDON
Journal describing the swll milk establishments OF New
York and Brooklyn The account was widely copied,
and several the subject were called
out Previous this Mr. Hlldreth urged the Harpers
10 publish sketches of tho stables aud the diseased
CATTLE but they declined having anything to do with the
matter. After the article in The London TIMES was
printed, Mr.. Hildreth made the proposition TO
Frank Leslie II was received with favor, and finally
arrangements made for artists to visit every estao
lishment where swill milk manufactured. Inc
names OF the owners OF the published, also
statistics showing the effect of swn milk upon the
health OF those who used II. Light vehicles
wero procured, and each morning the artists
I'm company with detectives, followed the milk wagons
from the various stables and whenever the opportunity
offered, sketch made OF the driver and his wagon
and IN some instances OF tho premises where the fluid
sold After much labor and patient watching, they
succeeded in witnessing all of the operations connected
with tho milk trade When tho illustrations appeared
the public was amazed that such shocking barbaries
could be perpetrated in Christian land New features
of the disgusting traffic presented each week until
the greatest excitement prevailed all over
the country. The prOprietors OF the swill'
milk establishments were obliged to close
their business eventually, but not until they had eK-
pended large Of money in attempting to that
the charges made against them false. Mr. Hdreth
attended, at his erpense two sessions OF the state
Legislature order to the enactment Of the law
against the dditerdiion Of n, which is in force,
and doing much to secure to the people especially Of the
large cities OF this State pure, unaduerated milk In
consequence Of his efforts break the nearous traffic
he suffered great personal and pecunary loss His barn.
horse carriage sleigh harness. several chests of tools
mahogany patterns and other articles for carrying ON
the manufacture Of furniture. were destroyed by IRE;
his fences torn down. his windows broken, and his
dwelling house and Outbuildngs set on fire five times
The damage Mr. Ildrcth thus sustained by the desruc-
ton his property for which lie has received 10 IN
surance or compensation whatever, amounts 10 moro
than s. OOO For more than year he did not dare TO
leave his premises in Brooklyn except by particular
route as lived but few rods from Of tho largest
swill-mk establishments In Brooklyn One day Sheriff
who the stable to arrest one Of the men who had
committed depreciation was bcsmeared with hlth'
and so shamefully treated by the ibernian mkmaids
that ho was glad to escape with his lte Mr. Iildreth
was shown a vat by the proprietor Mr.. Hustled who said
that the men had constructed 10 on purpose TO drown
him I'm It, The Board OF Health appointed a select com
mttee to make Investigations I'm regard to the subject OF
swlll mlk and the following facts were developed:
As purpose Of the owners was to obtain milk it
was indispensable that the should be MIXED even
when diseased otherwise their secretion Of milk would
be earrested and conceded by al interested In close
stabng that they should be MIXED long as drop Of
milk could be obtained in order to preserve the function
of secretion Of milk for future use, should they survive
the effects Of the disease.
DISEASED BEEF
The records Of the City Inspectors Office and Of the courts
showed that when the cows became diseased past
covery they killed. dressed and sent to market. In
instances the Of those dying from disease
were also offered for sale.
Swillfed cattle for time look sleek and fat but
skunng them they are found be in the unhealthy
condition Usually the tongue is thicky coated with
Shiny substance, and the teeth, though having no qp
OF decay are and unfit the purposes
of mastcation. After has lived swil for any
length Of time 1t is almost impossible for her 70 chew
hay or straw In the stomach Of OF the cows dis
sected straws OF hay nearly foot long
we're found. Butchers testified that much
OF the beef sold in the markets was "swill
fed" one gentleman said that he had known
cooks to be compelled to leave the places where this
rupt meat was being cooked because oi he eXhaatons
that arose from II. yscan sure that II was i'm
the ordinary cholera in1antu III eases where Sw mk
was used by the patients Norman Van Noir3nd tGsti
diseased that 1t necessary to support them
HOW THE MILK Is wATERED.
Mr. Hidreth said that some OF the milkmen were In
the habit Of watering their horses out Of the milk
covers. and when they were through drinking the men
filed their with water using the for this pur
pose. In Germany, where the swllmilk business was
carried on about the l5s the inhabitants OF town
on the Rhine nceused that they set fire 10 the
stables and drove the proprietoTs out OF the place
In this city aud IN Brooklyn large hunDeIs OF COWS
were confined under one roof and when once brought
miner u'9 st'uuiH Ncte % %l.hC" & U, h.,ts rr cr,,
month ana year after year the poor biues were locc9
To submit to the most nhuman tGatment Foul ar ana
disease were the fruits of hOtswill ana hthy stables
PURE COUNTRY MLK"
The vIainous compound called milk sent out
from the stables in wagons bearing such inscriptions as
these " Pure Country MIX" "Orange County MILK"
Westchester County M.lk" DAIRY Milk.' From the
Yards filled with blOatcd ana dying cows these mix
hcarses went forth distributing the poisonous mixture IN
all parts of the city. MI Mulay, iu book published
on swillInIlk says: "The appearance of the animal
after few weeks feeding most di,gustiug the mouth
and nOsuls all Desmcatcd, the eyes assume eddcn
expTessOn indicative Oi tEat stupidity Whchs generally
the consequence OF iutcmpeTduCe Inc sWI is strong
smulaut, aud It's elect upon tue constitution and health
OF the ANIMAL is something similar TO that produced by
alcoholic drinks on the human system COW readily
drinks from 2j 10 80 gallons per day
now MILKING Is DONE.
The operaon lof milking in these stables is as pecu
liar us it is disgusting At the appointed time, the
who is specially engaged for this purpose, enters the
stable pail in hand aud raising the COW ilom the filth
IN which she has been lying and with which she is
utcs are reduired to milk a COW. An expert hand will
milk dozen in an hour and hail. and II Is said
There Is no article of food which requires elean
its manipulation than milk. The vessels In which
engaged in the swlmk business scOrn all such nicely,
for with them cleanliness appears to be an exploded
idea. Their hands seldom or never washed before
milking, and indeed II they were they would soon be
soed by the cows udder In the process occasionally
happens that lump of dirt falls into the liquid when
the hand OF the mixer unceremonousy follows 1t, and
brings out The udders OF some cows have been known
10 be afflicted with ulcers yet in that condition they
MIXED and the milk mixed with the general stock
for distribution The details disgusting they are fall
far short OF tie reality"
now TIE COWS ARE TREATED.
The treatment to which the poor animals are snb-
eced is so severe that they often sink under it, When
they become diseased not unfrequently happens.
ey are mdked up TO c one or tco days Of their death,
and when no longer able stand they held until
the process is performed. friend who was an eye
witness TO a case OF this kind informed ms that when
every means had been tried 10 make the stand and
when kicks ard blows proved Intellectual Tor the purpose.
two men sustained her while the third MIXED. When