The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-10
The Milk Inspectors Adventure
on the Banks of ISlaiS
Creek.
TYPHOID FEVER is ABROAD
Result of Impounding Cows That Were
Feeding on Unwholesome Swamp
Grasses.


DR.. Z. ]. Greedy, the veterinary surgeon
who accompanied him, had an exciting
experience on the swamps near lslais
Creek. Just east of the San Bruno road,
Sunday morning.
Some time ago the Milk Inspector, in
his investigation of the quality of milk
furnished the citizens, ascertained that a
large number of cows owned by different
miIkmen, who had diaries in the vicinity
of Golden City," were in the habit of
turning their cows to feed on the rank
grass that grows on the swamp which is
fortified by refuse from tanneries, the
contents of five sewers, the refuse of soap
works. OF chemical works and sweepings
of slaughter-houses, ali of which he was
advised did not tend to improve the quail
ity of grass on which the COWS fed nor
the water the cows drank,
He obtained warrants for the arrest of
four of the owners of COWS feeding on this
unsavory grass, but these papers have not
vet been served.
Sunday the inspector in company
with Dr.. Greedy drove out with a view of
ascertaining the condition of a number of
places where COWS were kept, but before
they reached their destination they dis
CONSISQ uGdI4N -OO GUN = 1CSdluR Oll lliS
swamp grass. The inspector concluded
that he would have positive proof OF the
ownership OF these animals, which he de-
clared could not give wholesome milk. He
conceived the idea OF driving them from
the marsh to the main road, and from
there to the public pound, where the
owner Will have to call for and claim them.
The inspector and doctor went to a place
near by and changed their clothes for old
and sOiled ones, ana when they appeared
on the road they looked like tramps.
The pair started TO drive the cows over
one OF the swamps, and were making good
progress when suddenly dozen men and
boys, most of them with very little wear
ING apparel on, and two dozen dogs, ap
peared upon the scene and stampeded the
COWS. The officers fired several shots in
the air. which caused the men and boys to
beat retreat, but all but sixteen CONS got
away. These were secured and the Mission
police summoned. The patrol wagon with
two officers arrived, and they arrested a.
de Sante, B. Mozette and Del Santi, who
claimed some of the COWS. The prisoners
were charged with misdemeanor. The
sixteen COWS were then driven to the
Pound.
The milk from these COWS will be sub
mitted to DR.. J. c. Spencer for eXamina-
ton.
Yesterday morning Mr.. Dockery, ac
ompanied by Market Inspector Ben Davis,
made another journey out the San Bruno
road to observe the effect. if any, of his
work of the previous day. There was not
a COW to be seen in the entire swamp.
On the return trip home he spied
wagon Just turning into the San Bruno
road from Fifteenth avenue, but the driver,
instead of hating when commanded, put
the lash to his horse and led the two in
spectQrs merry chase for hall mile or
so. They finally rounded him up, how
and sorry SIoht mPr their paZp when
the wagon was inspected.
Out of five calves being carried into mar
ket as food for the people of San Fran
cisco three were found to be only four
days old. The driver, Charles Rutland,
claimed they were two weeks old, though
this would still make them sixteen days
shy OF the limit prescribed by law. Rub
land was arrested and booked at the Cen
trail station Oh a charge of offering for
sale meat unfit for human food. Rutland
drives for l. .. Solomon, wholesale cat
tle-dealer.
Later in the day Dockery made another
trip to the swamps, and succeeded in cap
turing one COW, which was sent to the
pound. Down near Bay View, at the lower
end OF the swamps, six COWS were found
feeding on the poisonous grasses In the
lot were three conservatives. The animals
turned out to be owned by private parties,
so no arrests were made. The owners.
however, were ordered to take them off
the swamps, and warned not to allow
them 20 feed there again. Two OF the COWS
captured Sunday were claimed by the
owners, John Connor and Jack Mitchell,
Yesterday. Warrants for their arrest will
be sworn out to-day.
There is considerable alarm felt in the
Health Department over the unusual
numb OF typhoid cases reported within
the last week. twenty-five cases is the
record for the six days ending yesterday.
1t is held that the milk is largely If not
altogether responsible for this extra
ordinary condition of the City health.
The disease is not in any sense epidemic
as vet but there are grave fears that it
might become so unless vigorous measures
are adopted. From now on determined
war will be waged against all dairymen
who allow their mich cows to feed on
swamp lands.
The typhoid epidemic in Oakland two
years ago was traced directly to COWS
which were allowed by their owners to
Craze on the salt marshes. The fatality
attending the Oakland scourge is still fresh
in the minds of the public, pal ticularly the
physicians.
The typhoid cases reported at the Health
Department during the past six days are
not confined to one locality. but are to be
found in every section of the City. Were it
otherwise the extraordinary number could
be easily attributed to some local cause,
and would create no alarm. But with re-
ports coming from North Beach, the Mis-
sion, Richmond, and, in fact, from every
section of the City, the physicians con-
clude that it must be caused by the milk.
Mr.. Dockery is therefore extra vigilant,
and promises to see to it that no more cows
are allowed to Craze on the swamp lands.