New-York tribune., 1875-10-11
MIX VjTER. And CPEAM


The question Of the correctness OF the
method used by the Board of Health in test
inc milk has been very thoroughly argued in
our City courts, and the public is not likely
TO quarrel with their decision. We PRINT,
however, on another page, letter from cor
respondent who has no faith in the lactometer.
He has arrived at results differing from those
recently stated in THE TRIBUNE, and we doubt
not he reports his experiments correctly, al
though he admits that he does not consider
the addition of water to milk an unwhOlesome
mixture, even when it is to be used as the sole
food of infants. The Board of Health made
very thorough researches before beginning an
attack on the milk-andwator dealers. ABOUT
300 samples of milk direct from the cow,
taken mt many different farms, III separate
districts of country, and with varying condl-
tions of food and season, have been carefully
tested. In none of them does the lactometer
20 below 100. Even with the milk OF the
sleek Alderney cows, so rich in cream that IL
is chiefly used for making butter, the instru-
ment marked an average of 1857, the lowest
not going below 1O2. With the ordinary
mch cows the average exceeded llo, ana
there were few instances OF record ABOVE
12O. The standard of 100 is fair enough 10
the milkman it still leaves him some chance
to water his cans.
But the results given by or correspondent
deserve a few words of explanation. There
are lactometers and lactometers; the one he
has been using is not in all probability that
of the Board of Health; the two instruments
presumably agree at the zero point but differ
by about a tenth in the high figures. The
100 point on his lactOmeter Is equivalent 10
about 10 on that of the Board The milk
which his instrument recorded as 30 and 10
would be cassed by the Board as up to or
above tho standard 1t Is, OF course, rather
unsatisfactory to use a lactOmeter as measure
of cream and get equivOcal results, but the IN
5trument is not really to blame; it would be
equally at fault if employed to test molasses
The device our correspondent recommends Is,
unfortunately, also imperfect DR.. j. Alfred
Wanklyn of London, high authority on this
and cognate subjects, describes similar con-
trrvapce az a "creamometer''-a word in which
tongues are mixed as execrably as ever milk
has been. OF this awkwardly named instru-
ment he SAYS: Z" it is at best but treacherous
guide Elsewhere in the same work c'Milk
"Analysis") he states that the amount OF cream
in milk that has not been tampered with,
varies with great irreguarity. Moreover, the
cream itself is in some instances twice as rich
in fat as in others. Cream cannot serve as
the test of milk.
The measures taken by the Board of Health
have proved efcctual in improving the quality
of city milk. That, after ALL is the best evil
dence of their excellence. In the great major
ity of instances where two visits of inspectors
have been made, the milk offered for sale the
second time has been found much less watered
than at first in very large number of cases
pure milk is sold where it was not before.
The last suit against fraudulent dealer was
contested with unusual stubbOrnnesS: the pro-
fessional skill of a well-known expert provided
evidence for the defense, and the value of the
lactometer test was fully discussed. The de-
fcndant was, however, fined. A few days
ago the case was again brought up on ap-
peal, before Recorder Hackett; but at the
last moment before the trial began, the
defendant Withdrew his former plea, acknowl-
edged his guilt, and had his fine increased to
$3.50. The opposition being thus dcmoralized,
the Board of Health may be expected to push
the milk reform with renewed vigor. 1t is
well, however, that our citizens should under
stand that the improvement will only apply in
cases where milk has been mingled with water
Should anybody fear that the milk he buys is
adultcrated by being mixed with too much
cream, he need not hope to mend matters 10y
testing it with lactometer.
"