New-York tribune., 1882-04-27
TIE CITY'S MILK Suppl z.
A REPORT BY PRESIDENT CHANDLER.

IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERVISION EXERClsED BY
THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
President Charles f. Chandler, of the Board of
Health, is preparing n long report on the warfare
which is being waged i'll this city against the sale OF
SKINNED and watered milk. The report will be
sent to the State Board of Health, and Will be
used to secure new legislation against the adutcra-
ton of milk in this State. In conversation with
reporter of The TRIBUNE yesterday. DR.. Chandler
outlined his report as follows:
"Milk is the article Of food more frequently tam
pered with than any other 1t is the regular prac-
tice of dealers to put water III milk or to skim OIL
the cream before selling il TO customers The prac-
tice is followed not only by the keepers OF corner
groceries but also by the regular mix dealers
People who pass respectable make business OF
watering milk and openly jest about III. mere Is
standing Joke among the milk dealers about the
cow with the iron tail Then there are large eStaD
hshmenis in this State and III New Jersey Tor the
systematic robbery of milk. | know OF seventy
three such establishments where milk is SKINNED
regularly. The business consists in buying milk OF
farmers for from to ) cents per quart skInlmng
Oft the cream, and then sending the weakened milk
to this city TO be sold rs real milk. The stolen
cream is either manufactured into butter or is sent
to the ice cream manufacturers III the city. Inc
daily consumption OF milk III this city amounts to
about l22, $50 gallons. or nearly hall million
quarts OF this supply 9I9oO gallons per day come
jersey s. $50 gallons from Connecticut, and 2,37O
gallons from Massachusetts.
z
the most important for police supervision: One
for this is because milk is the iood ior the
children. II milk Is reduced by watering or by
STUNNING the children do not get food enough 10
resist those influences which tend TO produce sick
ness 1t is true also that the EVIL consequences or
adulteratcd milk fall chiefly on the poor. The rich
can afford to get plenty OF milk and to pay good
prices for it, I he regular dealers Will naturally
desire to keep good customers and for that reason
they will supply the more wealthy and Intelligent
buyers with milk OF fam quality. But 1t is diiier-
ent with the keepers Ot corner groceries ana inc
milkmen whose Trade is chiefly III the tenement
house districts. The ragged girl who goes out to get
"a pitcher of milk for little money as possible Is
sure to get a uld of low grade. winch scarcely can
be called milk 10 is "A fact. therefore, that the
Board of Health pushes the supervision OF milk III
the interest OF he poor
People in this city do not kne as rule, to
what extent the adulteratIon OF mix Is carried
on. Sand can be detected II put IN sugar ana the
housekeeper can tell If ground almond shells are
mixed with spices. because III such cases one looks
for something which Is not an origina constituent.
If the percentage of water III pure milk was always
the same, it would be possible TO detect fraud IN
milk. But pure milk varies so much that 1T If I'M
possible for chemist to detect the presence OF
a small quantity OF water not furnished by the cow
Some COWS give milk which is so rich that 10 per
cent of water can be added to 1t beure the percent
aye of water in it is greater than in the milk of
other cows Ii is not possible to X an average and
compel the milk dealers to sell only milk which
comes up to that test The Board of Health can
roceed against offender only when lie sells milk
which is worse than that produced by the poorest
COW known. The same principle applies TO
superior richness that considerable cream nay be
SKINNED of without bringing the remainder below
the average grade. About One-thrd of the cream
in average milk can be skinned on before the rest
is left DelOw tho lowest grade and before the Board
of Health can swear that the mix has been
SKINNED. Many persons waste sympathy upon
milk dealers who prosecuted by the Board OF
Health Tor selling milk OF inferior quality and
the notion prevails that many OF the offenders only
take sup of cream for their own use or place ice III
the milk TO keen il cool. The fact is that the Board
of Health cannot proceed safely against dealer
unless the milk has been robbed OF nearly two
thirds Of it's has had 20 per cent OF water
added to IT,.
"Wlen the Board of Health began the supervi-
sion of milk in this city, the dealers raised great
outcry against the of the lactometer In testing
milk In every case where seizures were made III
was demanded that the quality of the mink lie de-
termined by chemical analysis. The object of that
was to gam tire. The Board OF Health carried n
test case through The courts, and the result was
victory for us and for the lactometcr. We desired
to use a test which the mllkmen themselves could
puts it out of the power of the dealers To charge
unfaIrness on the part Of the inspectors who make
seizures of milk. The lactometeT shows "A specific
gravity of 1.O29 in fair milk but unless the lnstru-
ment shows a specific gravity of less than the
milk is not pronounced unit for sale"
Dr. Chandler also said that some attention had
been paid to the use OF brewers grains as food for
cows. 1t is found he remarked, that when
these grains are used in moderate proportions with
good pasture. hay, etc, and the cows are prop
ery cared for evil results occur either III the
quality of the milk the condition OF the animals.
The excessive use, however OF this food has very
sent to customers in New-YoIk City was carefully
analyzed aud found to he unOblectiOnable and OF
good strengi h. except in one or two cases where The
small percentage Of fat showed that the milk must
have been partially SKINNED before IL was CON
densed"