The New York herald., 1875-12-17
THE CITY MILK TRADE.
Threatened Dearth CT thG
Lactic Fluid Supply.
THE LAW ON ADULTERATION.
Where the Milk Comes From and the
People Who Deal in It.
HINTS TO HEALTH BUREAUS.

HINTS TO HEALTH BUREAUS
Judge Brady recently in case brought up for review
n the Supreme Court which retail grocer had been
convicted in a lower tribunal Of having sold milk
aduteraed by water held that the test by actometers
used by the sanitary officers not sufficient evidence
n law TO sustain the judgment appealed from. II vas
decided that chemical analysis necessary 10 show
the distinction between the impure and genuine fluid
The police authorities however have not lost faith In
the reliability OF their instrumental and continue TO
test the milk offered for sale different parts Of tho
city. They of opinion that chemical analysis will
fully support the lactometers but that point
thing win be presently said The Sanitary Bureau 10
also persuaded that the next occasion that an
offender brought trial a conviction certain to be
obtained testimony that will hold good In any court
Every dealer is bound allow parties authorized by
law to freely fully inspect tho milk held offered
intended for sale BY them and to answer all reasonable
and proper questions asked relative to It's condition
INADEQUATE SUPPLY.
The milk traffic has during the past few weeks be-
come very important matter. IL has been found that
the supply has been inadequate to meet the demand,
and that many establishments where large quantities
consumed the propretors have been obliged 10
offer advanced price, The wholesale dealers have
also consulted together the subject and made what
them to give more attention TO this branch OF their
business Milk, either in IT'S natural state or in the
form of butter Cheese is article OF diet whole
and palataDlc that the health and comfort Oh
the people depend 70 great extent upon their having
pure and plentiful supply As an article OF food is
Of great and value we'll for the adult as for the
child, Tor the healthy well as for the invalid The
Lapander receives his supply from the reindeer tho
rowing Tartar from hs the Bedouin OF the desert
from his cames IN many OF the temperate regions Of
the earth pastoral tribes mainly subsst the milk OF
their sheep In many rocky regions the goat is inval
liable for this purpose and the buffalo IN the distant
West equally We depend upon the COW, and THAI
animal has Of late failed to furnish what required tor
the city.
GENUINE IMPURE MILK.
Passing to the question OF the impurty Of milk and
the enforcement OF the law the subject it may be
said that the article easily aduterated by substitut
Ing various cheap materials for the natural Ingredients
thereby seriously affecting Its quality while the fraud
can oniv be detected by the skilful examination OF a.
chemist Pure cows milk is made up as follows-
p. 49, "a
Butter. .......--............... 45I
Soda lime, magnesa and iron. .......... ...... or
The specific gravity OF cows milk ranges from J. Ola
TO o45, but the determination Of this point IS very
uncertain test OF ts purity Cream beng lighter than
milk removal leaves the fluid comparatively heavier
Water might be added TO this and the specific gravity
thus brought up 10 that OF genuine mix Tue
galactometer Is used for ascer,aning the specific
gravity and the luclometer the only instrument EN-
poyed by the New York health authorities, hxcs the
amount OF cream present But, according 10 good
authorities, the empluyment OF both, not Of one 10
necessary reach correct conclusion TO the i'm
purity or purity OF milk 1t would seem that the tess
required by law Is m actual chemical analysis
the IAcroNRTRR
was invented by Sir Joseph Banks II is glass tube,
half an inch in diameter length and grad
uated In tenths OF inch. To make proper Of
this instrument IL should be filed with milk and set
aside for twelve hours Tor the to rise. The pro-
portion or this is then the upper stratum, tho
thickness OF which has TO DO borne in mind, Is very
variable with different sorts of genuine milk. The
lactoscope, French invention, also determines tho
proportion OF cream the basis Of the opacity Of the
fluid carried by the butter PARTICLES This being known
and the specific gravity asccrtaned the quality OF the
milk examined can be ascertained Salt is used exten-
sively In adulteratng the commodity in order TO dis
guise the presence q water But the proportion OF IN
gradients though sufficient to expose the deception,
indicate poisonous qualities OF the worst sort
the evil effects that certainly follow the taking OF
them into the human system. From this standpoint
the law TO punish those who adulterate milk should bs
rigdly enforced But system Of testing quality
be introduced II substantial and beneficial results
70 be obtained
PRICES OF THE COMMODITY.
The consumption OF milk IN the winter is about thirty
per cent less than the IL is brought TO the
city in all by the various railroad lines in cana
containing forty quarts and delivered to the dealers
both wholesale and retail at the respective depots. ~
stated good authority that there produce that
yields better proht 10 the farmer than the dairy. No
crop reaches 1t in paying handsome results The price
paid during four months OF the year is three cents
quart, during the four cents and in tha
months OF December January and February five cents
These rates are of freight which and
half per quart MIX is sold directly TO consumers al
eight cents quart for six months of the year. and for
cents in the other SIX months. Some dealers who
established reputation for Keeping particularly
good article charge and receive during the entire year
twelve cents quart But, the other hand, so i'm
portant and necessary commodity Is milk, that to
maintain good standing and attract custom grocera
will and do sell at SIX cents thereby actually
loss unless IL is adulterated with water.
The police and health authorities are well aware %
this fact and IL s TO this class Of dealers that they give
particular attention. The decision of Judge Brady,
however will make II necessary TO apply chemical
analysis in each hereafter and not depend upon
the lactomeer test Many dealers complain that they
should be punished for selling milk that they take in
good faith from the farmers and dispose Of as they re-
ceve it. II found mixed with water they think that It
is lar from being just that they should be held respon
sible
The farmers undertook a short time take tbs
whole milk business OF New York into their hands
from the left the diary until it delivered TO
the An organization was formed OF grangers
and It was contemplated that none but those engaged
IN the cultivation Of the soil should be connected With
its operations The price Of shares fixed at $50
and producers were obliged take share for each
can OF milk sent 70 market The speculation
turned out 70 be a costly failure The ground
was too thoroughly and too long covefed,
the dealers in tho meantime formed
an association called tho Mkmen's Protective
Union which intended TO guard their own inter.
ess and reciprocal beneficial relations with
farmers. This union has been successful particularly
so in preventing the adulteration Of milk and Of
preventing INSCRIPTIONS middle men and spectators
from introducing adulterous article. The latter
classes are the bane u the trade and i is stated that
be traced the work Of watering and ntroduc.
ing injurious mixtures INTO the eommodity which pro
duce the very results the health OF those who
IT. The quantity OF milk brought to New York
daily al this season Is very nearly as folows:-
Cans
Harlem Railroad 500
Erie Railroad ...... ........................ 1900
Morris and Esscx Railroad d.................. 500
Housatonic Railroad ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 500
Midland Railroad Observation-Disclosures. 500
Hudson River Railroad Observation-Disclosures. 800
Other conyevances Observation-Disclosures. 15OO
THIS would show a daily consumption at present ot
about 800 600 quarts daily In the summer season tho
city requires about $50 900 quarts The sum Of
$40, 900 is expended daily for milk.
SUPPLY ADuLTBRATIoN.
In conversation with an extensive milk dealer yes
terday the writer informed that since the farmers
were requested send milk to this market thG
supply has grown larger and they obtain larger pro-
hts in this branch their business than in any other
there every believe that no dearth viii ba
experienced still " " probable that prices may ad-
vance ono or two cents quart As 10 adulteraton,
the police will go on examining the fluid aud institute
prosecutions proper cases. but they shall only go In
10 court for the present where analysis has been