Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-02
A MILK INVESTIGATION.
The Stables of Producers Visited by the
District Chemist.

During the trials in the Police Court few
days ago Of the milk cases, when dairymen we're
accused of having sold watered. colored or
SKINNED milk. il was shown that large por-
ton of the milk sold by the defendants came
from the vicinity of Germantown. Montgomery
county. Nd. Those who furnished the milk to
ths dealers were anxious that their places
should be inspected. and at the instance of Mr.
j. p Kelly the inspection was made last week.
Prof. ]. u. Hird, the chemist Of the health
department, made the inspection and yester-
dav afternoon he handed in his report to
Health Officer Hammett. The report is as fol-
lows:
TWELVE DIARIES VISITED.
In compliance with your instructions spent
the greater portion of two days inspecting the
dairy farms of Germantown and vicinity. Dur
ing the time specified l visited twelve dairies
and examined carefully the condition OF the
cows. stables. water supply. milk cans and re-
ceptacles. methods of cooling and handling the
milk. the supply and quality of feed. the
amount of milk produced and 10 whom con-
signed.
To each of the shippers 1 asked the following
questions
1. Do you or have you ever colored your
milk?
2. Have you ever added any water or other
material to your milk?
8. Have you ever removed any cream from
the milk?
4. Have you ever separated the strippings
from the rest of the milk?
3. Do you ever sell any cream?
6. Do YOU make your own butter?
To the above questions, with the exception Of
the last one, the emphatic answer in each in
stance was '.No.''
In reply to the last question 1 was informed
that occasionally when they were unable to
dIannsn of oil no ca1 yhayx pr111
make butter from the cream Of the surplus of
milk produced, but in general they bought
their butter.
METHOD OF HANDLING THE MILK.
The method of handling the milk is pretty
much the same in all cases, and is as follows
The cows are driven into the stable and each
one secured in a separate stall Here the cows
are MIXED. usually by colored help. As fast as
the milk is produced it Is strained into five or
ten-gallOn can. which is immediately. when
filled, set in a large tank of cold water. The
milk is then agitated by stirring until it has
cooled to temperature of about 20 degrees.
The cans are then allowed to stand in the water
until il is necessary to take them out for ship
ment. On an average, told, it required
about a half hour to cool the milk to the re-
quired temperature if properly stirred
This was the method followed in every in
stance with the exception of Col. Boyd Here
the milk was strained first into a large boiler
with stop-cock at the bottom. From this
stop-cock the milk passes through another
strainer and then flows over convoluted sur
face resembling in size and appearance an
ordinary dashboard. Within this piece of ap
paratus flows a stream of cold water, which SUI
fees to cool the milk thoroughly in the short
space of time that the milk is flowing over the
cooler.
1t Is then collected in ten-gallon cans, which
are Immediately placed in a large vat Of cold
water, where they remain until ready for ship
ment.
CONDITION OF THE STABLES.
The first farm visited was that Of Mr.. j. P.
Kelly, at whose instance the investigation was
made. Here l found everything in good order
The cattle were in good condition. the stables
were clearly and well lined the water supply
excellent and the method Of handling and cool
ing the milk all that could be desired The
cans which were ready for shipping were also
clean and bright. 1 noticed the same trouble
here, however, tina: did everywhere, namely,
that the cans which had recently been returned
from the city contained sour milk and were
generally filthy.
The same conditions Of cleanliness and care
were found to exist at the farms Of Mr.. SNYDER,
Mr.. Greusendorf, ]. d. Dorsey, Mr.. H. A.
Humphrey, c. L. Hickerson. Mr.. Boland, Mr..
Benson. Henderson and BOYD.
The cooling arrangement at Mr.. Hickersons
was not all that could be desired, the trough
in which the cans are immersed was too small
to do the work effectually. l learn, however,
that it is the intention Of Mr. Hickerson to re-
place the same by more commodious recep-
tacle at an early date.
The farm of Mr.. H. D. Waters was far from
what it should it be. There 1 learned that
there was n great scarcity OF food, the principal
diet being cotton seed hulls. The cows APP
peared to be half starved, while their hind
quarters were more or less covered with ferti-
lizing ingredient of their own production. The
water supply. drawn from q well located amid
piles of manure, was thoroughly contaminated
and totally unfit for use. sample Of water
drawn from the same showed numerous living
organisms, visible to the naked eye. The cans,
however. were clean. and the man in charge
was evidently trying to do the best he could
with the limited means at his disposal
The farm of Mr.. Richter showed a similar
condition existing in regard to scarcity of food,
impoverished condition of the cattle and I'M
cleanliness. The water supply, however, was
good and the cans were clean. and at the time
of my visit two or three young darkies were in
the act of relieving the cows of their milk.
The last stable visited was that of Col. Boyd
Of Boyd's station. This was by far the largest
and most complete dairy visited The system
Of the stable was as near perfection as such an
establishment can be brought to.
DATA OBTAINED.
From the different producers obtained the
following data:
J. P. Kelly, averages so gallons of milk. Con-
signed to E. Wagner.
Mr.. Snyder. averages 80 gallons Of milk.
Consigned to &. Thompson.
III. ID. Waters. averages Is gallons Of milk.
Consigned to produce exchange.
Greusendorf. averages 20 gallons of milk.
Consigned to d. C. Holtz.
Richter. averages 20 gallons Of milk. Con-
signed to ID. G.. Mount.
Dorsey. averages 20 gallons Of milk. Con-
signed to ID. ID. Holtz.
Humphrey, averages 20 gallons Of milk Con-
signed to --.
Hickerson. averages Is gallons of milk. Con-
signed to f. X. Homer.
Boland averages 25 gallons of milk. Con-
signed to F. r. Horner.
Benson. averages 20 gallons of milk. Con-
signed to E. Wagner.
Henderson. averages 20 gallons of milk. Con-
signed to ID. c. Holtz.
Boyd. averages 80 gallons of milk. Con-
signed to c. Thompson.
From sanitary standpoint it would seem
desirable that the cans before they are returned
to the producer should be at least cleaned with
cold water. especially as they are often used
so am informed, as churn for the production
of butter. Buttermilk and sour cream adher-
ing to the sides of the vessel can only be re-
moved with difficulty. so that every effort to
overcome this difficulty should be made by the
retail dealer, well by the producer This
might :lpply eoually rs we'll To the hnuseholders