The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-10
DIR. CHANDLER AND THE LACTO.
METER.
New YoRK, April !, 1870

New York, April Z, 1874
To THE EDITOR HERALD
win you allow me to reply through your columns to
the letter to-day published therein signed by Professor
c. F. Chandler, President OF The Board OF Healthy
l fully share in DR.. Chandlcrs expressed dislike to
sending personal communications through the press
ana also entirely agree with him in the belief that in
correct statements should not be allowed pass un
challenged 1t is because Of that belief that cannot
resist the temptation to reply to few at least OF tho
statements contained in the letter refer to-
DR.. Chandler's letter Is dsingcnuous and calculated
TO mislead the public In many particulars, one OF
which Is that he wholly fails 10 that the case in
which three justices OF the Court OF Special Sessions
'istened patiently to all Of d.. Doremus' arguments
and decided the against his client" the judg-
ment pronounced by the three wise men question
absolutely and in every particular reversed by the
unanimous judgment OF the Judges or the Genera
Term Of the Supreme Court How singular II IL that
In citing tins authority in favor of tho
lactometer the learned President OF the Board OF
Health should altogether omit to inform the public Of
the rfing circumstances that the authority which lie
adduces has been wholly annued by tho judgment Of
an appellate trbunai
The case In question Is that OF John Kneib w. The
People, decided December 2 1876, by Judges a,is,
Brady and Daniels This is the only in which the
merits OF the lactomctcr have ever directly be-
fore any of the higher courts In this CITY, and
nlshcs such a nat contradiction OF DIR. Chandler's
statement to the effect that tho position by HIM
concerning this instrument has been invariably
tanned by the COURTS as 10 make II wonderful
the learned Doctor should an assertion
The excellent professor further states that snce that
trial referring to Kncib's easel there have been
twenty or thirty convictions OF milkmen and the Court
does not question tho accuracy Of The lactomcter
DR. Chandler most carefully reirains from stating that
these convictions were had on the faith Of the
deDce furnished by tho actomcter. YET his statement
Is worded that he evidently intends the public to
believe such TO be the TACT
The following trivial circumstances Dr. Chandler
Court "a KneSs case was delivered BY Judge Braav
who gave DR.. Chandler some very excellent Though
possibly unpaatabcl advice as to what afforded the
best evidence Of the adulteraton Of milk. The Judge
suggested that the milk should in future be Analysed.
This has ever since been DONE and In the twenty or
thirty referred to DR.. Chandler caused the milk
be carefully Analysed and he prepared Court
10 show by the results Of analyses that the milk qucs
ton impure.
The Board OF Health has strange fondness Tor tho
lactomcter The scientific writers OF Europe denounce
III some Of the abiest chemists IN this country testify
IT, and DR.. Chandler himself says IN your columns To-
day that cannot be used TO prove tho purity OF milk
Yet Notwithstanding all this, the Board on Health per-
ssis IN its use as primary ,csi, and rarely refrans
from moesting those dealers whose milk when tested
BY ~, stands above 100. Whys What wcighty reason
can the Board OF Health have Tor continuing its use
The matter has been explained 10 in this way.
There 10 In this city large and constantly increasing
class OF dealers Ia what Is called skim mk.ua e.
milk from which the greater part OF the butter and
cream has been removed This milk is skinned In the
country. the nutritious portion tho crcam), remains
beng sold In this city as pure milk 1t obvious that
the farmers can AFFORD to sell skinned mix 10 the
dealers much cheaper than milk which has not been
SKINNED, and those milkmen who sell skinned milk
have thus great advantage those VINO do not,
Now the secret OF the actomct cr--skimmod
milk much heavier than milk containing ali its
cream, cream being the lighcst portion the milk.
The actoncicr only shows the weight OF milk; skim
med milk, being very heavy, Is suc to above tho
100 mark the lactometcr. and thus COMPLIES with
the requirements OF the Board OF Health. Cream ON
the contrary, much lighter that when tested by
the Iactomctcr Il VIII stand nj but IRON 30 TO s0
The Board Of Health takes absolutely no measures
whatever to detect skinned milk, and punish those
a0 do thoxo
VINO sell II an absolute immunity from punishment
The profits derived from the sale OF skim milk are very
large and IL Is sai that the dealers In this article have
been ahlc 10 advance 10 persons connected with the
administration oil our sanitary AFFAIRS arguments Of
such weight and value 10 convince them that the use
OF the actomeisr ought he continued and the deal
ers il that heahuI and nutritious article skim
milk" protected In their traiHc.
FRANK X LAWRENCE.