The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-30
SWILL MILK.

AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE BLIssvILLE COW
sHrDs--HoRnoRs OF FILTH AND OVER
cRowDINa-THE DANGER TO 1NrASTs-KEEP
THE swILL MILK OUT OF NEW YORK.
The following highly important report was made to
the Board OF Health by Dr. +. H. James, OF the Sanitary
Bureau:-
SANITARY BUREAU, May 90, 1871
To w. D. y. DAY. NJ. d., Sanitary Super ntcndent:--
SIR-I have to report that the I'D inst, upon The
invitation OF Mr. Henry Bereh President OF tho
Society Tor the Prevention OF Cruelty TO Animals o!-
lowed by request from the Board OF Health, accom-
panou Mr.. Bergh and some OF his officers on tour oi
inspection TO some swlll stables in Brooklyn and
its vicinity. We first visited Blissyille, situated
Nswlown Creek anu within the limits OF Long Island
CITY, which place located the dstlcry and yeast
factory OF Gan, Fleischmann & CO. Connected with
this distlery some stables containing, as We
informed. between seven hundred anu eight hun.
dred cows, all fed on the swirl and waste from said
distling The condition OF the cows the stables and
their surroundings was 10 say tho least extremely
nthy and sckenng ana the rate OF crowding was such
rs be wholly incompatible with tho health OF the
animas In order TO obtain approximate idea OF
tho which these poor animals we're huddled
together, tho necessary measurements were laRon
Each compartment contains Two OF stalls with
space Of about three feet in width botwecn OK
outre length. Parallel with this and IN front Of tho
inches and distance from the floor to ceiling
measured six feet and eleven inches.
BLissviLLE PEST HOUSE.
The stalls measured iect in length aud feet
in width. Allowing the full number 81 fcet Wherever
the measurement fell short and calling the width OF
the passage way Jour feet to allow Tor any rregulariiy
in construction any possible error In measurement,
mud that each COW has an air space little
200 cubic feet which to live and breathe. IL Is
generally admitted that q human adul, requires u
Space Of 900 cubic in that his blood may
be sufficiently aerated to preserve health, and DR..
Cameron, an eminent authority in matters Of hygiene,
tells that far he and Others have been able TO
investigate the sanitary condition Of stables, he IS con-
vnccd That COW can be healthy in space OF less
than sou cubic feot.
DANGER TO CHILDREN.
How can We expect. then, that these cows, confined
IN SO limited space breathing atmosphere satur-
aiod with calculations from their bodies their excre-
and the sour fermented swill which constitutes
degree OF health, much less TO yield from such sur
roundings and such food an article OF nutriment well
adapted 10 the wants OF young child? We Ike TO see
our children we'll drcssed VIC spare ourselves NO
efforts In contributing 10 their amusemcnts; We sup
ply them with books and toys suited TO their ages aud
capacities, and yet how little do We know OF that typ
ica food" with which they daily ted, anu which
expect IL to contribute TO the growth OF bones,
muscles ana a sud Tho IN
child TO be nursed by consumptivo or otherwise dis
eased mother OF implanting The same disease IN the
nursling Is pretty generally recognized, and may we
not safely assume that thcre Is strong analogy be-
the tactical secretion OF such nurses and that OF
those miserabiy ted cows. deprived OF every element
hygiene ana surrounded by every influence calcu-
lated deprcss and degenerate their physical condl-
GRAFTON whether that state Of constant unrest OF the
animal, deprived not only OF her liberty but OF every
other influence congenal TO her nature may not be
somewhat analogous 10 certain mental disturbances
xieties which know 10 be deeterious 10 the
mix oil the human mother, producing disease and
sometimes even convulsons aud death Of the nurs-
ling.
UNNATURAL
These animals confined in pent up quarters
thoy fastened with ropus, many Of them less than
a foot length and are ted mostly II not entirely
upon distiIlery swi gwen TO them at temperature
which must DO considerably reduced before u can DO
the living stomach whereas nature requires
that they enjoy tho freedom OF the pasture and live
upon tho natural and unchanged productions OF the
soil
STABLES ELSEWHERE.
We noxt visited stables at The corner oil Marcy
and Floyd street, Brooklyn. At THIS place the
animals more air space and their food IS OF
u somewhat better quality, small allowance oil hay
occasionally relieving the monoony; but we saw here
OF cruelty, The details OF which ID not ne
cessary 70 in this report.
KEEr swILL MILK OUT OF NEW YORK.
AS these stables entirely beyond our jurisdiction
our only course action consists IN preventing II
DO ssblc the milk from them being brought into this
city. The health authorities oil Brooklyn have Tor
some time past been engaged In endcavoring 10 regu
late their milk trade, and although II may appear 10
that their progress mas been slow, our own OK
perienco dealing with heavy nusances enables US TO
Understand and appreciate the many diihculties anu
delays which the Law affords l could not learn that
any action been taken by the health authorities oil
Long Island Guy, and would suggest that their atten
ton called 10 the subject anu that their intcrfer-
BE- asked far at least, as to prevent the bring
ing OF milk produced from distllcry Stops into this
| city. Respectfully submitted,
L. Il. JAMES, N. d.,
Assistant SANITARY SUPERINTENDENT