Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1878-07-31
AN OvERPAID OFFICIAL.

| sPecaoi OF MIX q monthly SATISFY. Is
requested by the Board of Health.
1t is claimed that an efficient off,
ciai is denied just compensation Let
US, Tor moment, glance ST the facts
and see if the censure is justly up
piled. The milk oFdin auce a2s passed
TO prevent the sale of impure. sdui-
terated or unhealthy milk, and a.
though the Mix Inspsctsr has occu-
pied his official position a number OF
months: although be bas. on several
occasions, declared that, TO his oWD
knowledge, milk dealers we're selling
impure aud adul,er2ie3 milk, Bs, 8
single arrest has been made tor either
Of these oHenses- Every aires, thus
/ far made has been for technical of-
frnse, to-wit: for falling to & { 81 a.
ddasit setting forth that the milk sold
is pure, etc, or sor feeding szill TO
cons. WAY, ne ask, has 10 arrest
been made for selling impGre OF &3sl-
ter4.ed milki
When the Milk Inspector applied
to the Bard Of Aldsrmes for his ap-
poinfneBt be stated thz, be ha3 al
tended tao courses Of lectures %
Chemistry, and WAS therefore comF,e-
teas 10 fulfill THE duties # the posi-
si0B- Yet be has never reported TO
the Bard = singr- analysis Of mix
made by bin Doss be desire Us -
uD0erstand tia; 3 thorough knOxl-
edge Of chemistry is requisite to de-
tect brezd, meat. etc, il the irOughs
ST Alex2nd=r's mils ra8chi Or that
two courses Of Chemistry are required
TO determine the fact that milkmen
have failed 10 file their sfidaYits; IT
that the lsetometer shows the specific
gravity Of miiki For this is al. be
has thus far cone.
We stated above THAI the Milk In
spector had made no report Of a.a-
Uses made by HIM. What ne did re-
port shows iamentable amount Of
ignorance. He stated that certain
milk went 80 and 81, while other
went only 50. What he meant, We
suppose, was that the lactometer
showed 80 and 81 parts ia 1000 Of
solid matter. We are assisted to this
conclusion by his report as well as
that made by DIR. Cutler, Veterin-
airy Surgeon, to the Board Of Health,
last week, when they stated that milk
in this State went 80 and 95 by the
lactometer, and they went on to state
that the milk from diseased cows
went 1913, and that the difference bet
ween 95 and 1903 showed the amount
of poisonous matter. This was a wise
conclusion; but will the authorities
sustain III Let US see. If we con-
suit Fowpe's Elementary Chemistry,
edition of 1870, page SIT, We will find
that milk contains S73 parts water,
1877 parts solid. In Attfield's Chem
istry, edition of 1871, page 500, bis
average composition Of milk shows
water 1854, solids 1856. We might
continue the quotations sd infnitum,
but the above suffice to show that
these gentlemen were not familiar
with the subject upon which they
were reporting.
DR.. Cutler admits that the only test
made was with the lactometer, and all
authorities agree that that instrument
is no test for milk fuutber than to
show its specific gravity, and that even
for that purpose it is not reliable, So
much for the efficiency of the official.
But, aside from his apparent in
competency, is the President of the
Board of Health entitled to salary
We think not. He sought the posi-
ton knowing that all the compensa-
ton he was to receive was 81 per
month from each mllkman, as pro-
vided by the ordinance under which
he was elected; he accepted the posi-
ton after another physician had de-
clined it owing to the inadequacV Of
the compensation; and if the present
incumbent has come to the same cop-
cluslon he should resign. For the
work done, to-wit: testing milk with
the lactometer, the fee-$1-is not
only sufficient, but is large pay. The
laborer is worthy Of his hire, but as
the case now stands the Milk In
spector is overpaid. And the Board
| nf Atda.,,aci sJ.s,rva tho hiuhaot