Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-06
WATER In OUR MILK.
Pittsburg's Supply of the Lacteal
Fluid Considered Above Par.
CITY DIARIES NEAT AND CLEAN.
Some Milk Thin and Suspiciously Blue, but
as General Thing
1T DOESN'T PAY TO ADULTERATE L


milk supply is a very important one-more,
perhaps, than that of the purity of booze, as
the former is very largely diet for the sick
and infants, while the latter is not to nearly
so great an extent. The daily milk bill of
these cities is over $1,000, the consumption
per diem being over $4,000 gallons.
Fortunately Pittsburgers are in better
shape than they are in Philadelphia, where
the Board of Health has had much trouble
to abate the superabundant aqueosity of the
lacteal fluid. They have a city ordinance
fixing the standard, but the Pittsburg
Board of Health manages to give those who
adulterate milk considerable trouble under
the general act of Assembly governing the
matter, and Mr.. w. F. McKelvy, Chief
Clerk of the Bureau of Health, states
that in answer to inquiries he in
formed the health authorities of the
manner in which the matter is regulated
here, where no trouble has been experienced
in convicting vioIators Of the law when
they are caught. But there seems to be but
little doubt that, notwithstanding all the
precautions possible, there is vast amount
OF milk watered, as it only lies, generally
speaking, between the retailer and con-
science, whether he will act crookedly or
not.
WOULD NOT PAY THEM.
Mr.. McKelvy states that at this season of
the year it will not pay shippers to water
milk, as they send more milk to the city
than they are able to dispose of, anyhow;
but he also says that many retailers only
buy a fixed amount, and the supposition is
that the amount Is made sufficiently ''fe1i-
Ii 1oyD 81 IL
at times. Unless each family buys lac
tometer for itself, its only safety lies in ex-
ercising discretion in dealing with honest
people.
1t seems that the only comparatively safe
plan to follow in watering is to do it as the
milk is measured out to customers, for not
only is Milk and Meat Inspector Nc
Cutcheon or Colonel Kilgore likely to drop
around at any time and make a
test, but the Health Bureau in
spectors are occasionally directed
to drop around without warning, and take
samples from scores Of dealers in a few hours
and bring them in for testing. Where.
however, the dealer a6ulterates just as he
sells be runs less risk, for not one in a
thousand purchasers would think of having
a test made. They might think the milk
thin or blue, and scold about it, but ordi.
and dishonest dealers know it.
Once upon time the authorities were
overburdened with complaints that cer-
tain dairyman who delivered from a wagon
was watering his milk. At length Inspector
Lindsey began taking shot on the fly at
the crook, and he scarce made round that
he was not hauled up short.
ALWAYS STOOD THE TEST.
All in vain; his milk always stood the
test, and the Inspector became ashamed to
meet the suspect He came to grief
one morning, however. A woman sit
ting at a third-story window
saw him empty water from a
jug into his measure before putting the
milk into it. The action was performed in
such a manner that person standing on the
ground would not see it. That man was
duly roasted, but it isn't supposed that his
fate deferred others from acting similarly,
especially those who can supply an unex-
pected demand without ordering an extra
supply.
1t is not believed that at present so much
water masquerades as milk here as in some
other cities. A few years ago raid was
made on some Massachusetts, dealers, and
of 1,170 samples tested $780, or &c per cent,
were found to have been watered, and in
Buffalo four years ago 73 per cent OF the
milk supplied was found to be adulterated
1t seems a pity that condemned milk
should be made a libation to appease the
wrath of justice. 1t might be churned and
the butter sent to the poorhouse, in place of
oleo, to an extent; or the city might operate
big hoggery in the suburbs and feed the
milk and vegetables coniscated.
The purity of milk is a matter of great i'm
portance to infants, invalids and aged peo-
pie, as it frequently forms the main portion
of their diet. Babies often die from lack of
nutrition, owing to the scoundrelism OF some
dealers. While the practice of watering
milk is no more dishonest than that of
making cream-tartar 73 per cent gypsum, it
is more reprehensible, on account of the
greater mischief resulting. 1t is as heinous
as the manufacture OF medicines of INSULT
cient strength.
ONE GREAT IMPROVEMENT.
Pittsburg NAV be congratulated on a
great improvement in one respect. Twenty
years ago many Of the city dairies were
kept in a horribly filthy condition. The
cows stood in filth, and even fed on still
slops, ETC., until their physical condition
was calculated to start pestilence among
consumers. Since then the number of CITY
diaries mas diminished, but there are still q
good many left. They are, however, in a
vastly superior condition to what they were
formerly. When an inspector finds COW
diseased, she must Immediately go out of
service, and if the case be bad, she is
slaughtered at once, and her carcass
sent to the schindlery, so that
the river gets no salvage. The Bureau OF
Health cannot preEent crowding, and can
not say how much space must be assigned to
each cow, but it can force owners to keep
stables clean, and after few weeks of sur
veillance, and the loss of COW or two, dis
reputable proprietors find an exemplifca-
ton of the adage that Honesty is the best
policy"
There is one way to insure abolutely fair
dealing, and that is for each consumer to
constitute himself detective, and have
milk tested from time TO time. Reputable
dealers will find it to their interest to give
all the assistance in their power to their
detection OF the cormorants who are willing
to profit by killing off infants, invalids and
the aged. Such dealers are as infamous as
the operations of graveyard insurance socie-
ties, infant insurance companies, or baby
farms.