The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1875-05-15
The MIX Question.

@s~O ~-@SSsS <eSOCOSOAVe
Since our last editorial on the milk question
we have been favored with the report of Henry
Faxon, Inspector of Milk for the city of Boston,
for the year ending April LIST, 1875. 1t is an in
teresting document to any one who takes any in
terest in having the human family consume
been in existence in Boston since 1859, and the
Bostonians have no desire TO abolish 1t. With
fair trial in Baltimore for a period long enough
to give it fair test, we believe the Baltmoreans
would come to the same conclusion.
We have devoted several editorials to the SUBJ
ject and done what we could in our humble way
to excite laudable interest in it both in behalf
of producers and consumers. But to our sur
prise we do not seem to have created ripple on
the surface of the question, beyond the kind and
sensible criticisms ofour Baltimore correspondent
We would do injustice to ourselves if we failed
to say that we first had the question suggested to
us by the communication of valued friend to
the Gunpowder Agricultural Club, which was
afterwards given to the public through our col
umns. We are surprised that no one outside Of
the parties above named have taken interest
enough in the question to make move to RENE
dy the evil of supplying and using impure milk
to the citizens of Baltimore, to send US or any
ether newspaper a correspondence on the subject,
or to Go any ether act that looks like a NANTES
tation of interest in the matter. The conduct of
consumers in Baltimore looks as if they do not
desire to have better milk if it is to be had atany
extra cost to thenn, while producers manifest such
indifference in the premises that we are warrant
ed in saying that they do not desire any better
remuneration for their pure article, if they are to
be at any trouble in convincing consumers that
they sell pure article The Baltimore papers do
not consider the question of enough Importance
to give it passing notice. The City Council is
.vexing its wits over Jones Falls, seriously con-
sidering the Importance of greater water sup
ply, passing ordinances to widen streets, which
the Mayor just now promptly vetees, and was
last summer about to take steps to expell the
sugar refneries from the city with the avowed
object of preventing impurities from accumula-
ting in the basin, but which step that august
body suddenly declined to take for reasons which
addressed themselves with too much force to their
minds to permit their inviting revelations such as
were promised, but it is too busy with other SUBJ
jects to stop moment to do something for pre-
venting the sale and use of impure and adultera-
ted milk in the city.
Mr.. Faxen's report for the year ending April
1st, 1875, cannot fail to interest any one who
takes any interest in matters pertaining to pub
nc welfare. He dwells largely upon the use and
importance of the lactometer in testing milk.
Although the lactemeter does not give the same
satisfaction that could he obtained from chem
ical analysis yet for all practical purposes it is
entirely reliable for ascertaining whether there is
any foreign matter in milk or not. So that no
one of our milk producers who is honest in his
dealing could offer any reasonable objection to
having an inspection of milk consumed in the
city. This instrument is of simple construction.
Its use can be learned ia very short time and
its price is of such trhing value as to put it out
of the realm of consideration in the premises
The actometer is to milk what the hydromster is
TO alcoholic fuids-it registers its specific gravi-
ty and gives the proof quality Of the milk as the
hydremeter does of distilled spirits.
If no one does anything towards organizing an
association as heretofore suggested, there will be
nothing done and no better price obtained for
milk If there is no inspection impure milk will
still regulate the price of the pure article and con-
sumers will continue to use sleps called milk
We can't do it all. Let those more interested
take hold and help.