The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-07
THE MILK SUPPLY QUESTION.
Consumers Want Something Done TO
Project Them Against Had aIiILS.

Consumers Want Something Done TO
Protect Them Against had MIX.
The discussion Of Savannah's milk sup
! ply arising out OF Health Omcer Brun-
ner's exposition OF the subject in his an
nual report, has by no means lost in
terest. That 6avannah's milk consumers
are utterly without protection from I'M
scrupulous and ignorant producers does
not admit Of discussion. Prof. Otis Ash
more, in speaking OF the subject yester-
day. said that out of more than Fifty
samples Of milk which he has examined,
not more than three or four were up TO
the standard. the majority showing evil
dence Of having been diluted with water
and nearly all the samples being deficient
In cream
The savannah milk producers" said
Mr. Ashmore, have not achieved that
degree Of proficiency in the adultera-
ton Of milk common to their northern
brethren. Our milkmen here are usually
satisfied with the addition Of water 10
their milk. It As very rare to find milk
that has been adulterated with other
substances in order to balance the loss
OF gravity caused by the addition Of
water.
The adulteration Of milk may not be
NoAAlAh0Af bNt Judging bF the remarks
made by some dairymcn in speaking Of
the methods OF others in the same line
the dairynen are certainly not ignorant
Of the mthods Of adulteration and the
knowledge of how to use them when the
natural supply does not equal the de-
mand. While DR.. Drummer urges that
milk inspection ordinance is needed with
a properly equipped inspector 10 enforce
1t In order that the people of Savannah
may get pure milk. he lays great stress
upon the necessity Of cleanliness in the
care Of cows, the conditions of their sur
roundings and the utensils used for re-
ceiving and conveying the milk. He urges
the removal Of the cows from the city on
the grounds that so many of the own
ers Of cows in the city are incapable OF
understanding the necessity for cleanli-
ness in everything connected with the
production Of milk. He shows this by
numerous Instances of filthy stables. un-
clean milking utensils, and poorly fed
animals, which are allowed by the owners
to drink sewage and drainage water.
The COW, he says, is only machine for
the production of milk and whatever i'm
purity enters her system is sure to find
its way into the milk.
If DR.. Brunner's last report to the sani-
tary board on this subject were published
1t would cause row. Not only does he
deal with the milk dealers in the city, but
the diaries in the neighborhood Of the city
are taken up by name, with the names of
owners given, and the exact condition Of
each dairy given ia detail 1t is safe to
say that there would be a rapid falling
of in patronage of some of the dairies If
the report was published While a few
of the diaries were found in very good
condition, and the majority were found in
fair condition, several were found where
the conditions were about as bad as they
possibly could be. one large dairy Is men
toned, having sixty head Of cows about
half of which were giving milk, where both
stable and animals were in absolutely
filthy condition, the person in charge ig-
norant and incompetent and no attention
whatever paid TO sanitary regulations in
the production of milk. Another dairy
with forty lean, hungry and fororn
looking" animals, ouly fourteen OF which
were giving milk. the total daily output
of which reached the magnificent total
Of twenty-six quarts was mentioned. The
cows were evidently uncared for, poorly
fed and no attention paid TO the produc-
ton and care Of the milk.
At nearly all the smaller dairies the
cows are allowed to drink surface water,
The larger diaries are equipped with arte-
sian wells or get their supply from the
city. From DR.. Burners report il would
seem that a law for the inspection of
dairies, to apply 10 the county as wen
as to the city, would be a good thing
There does not appear to be any disposi-
ton on the part of council TO take up the
subject. II the sanitary board should back
up DR.. Drummer and make a recommended
ton to council embodying Dr. Brunner's
idea council would have to take some
action in the matter. but the sanitary
board does not appear to have any idea
of doing this
It IS needless to say that the sentiment
of the owners of cows within the city
means friendly The majority of them are
poor people, and the sale of the milk from
their cows is an important part of their
living. For this reason they have many
sympathizers, and any effort to remove
the cows from the city, as suggested By
DR.. Drummer, would meet with the strong
est kind of opposition. The consumers Of
milk, on the other hand, want to be pro-
tected against the dangers that result from
impure milk and uncleanly conditions
surrounding the dairies, from which they
are supplied