The record-union., 1895-10-28
WHY NOT HEREe

called attention to the fact that tuber-
culosis among food cattle was increas-
ing in California, and that the wise
thing to do was to order State inspec-
ton. It was not done, however. The
Legislature did not find time from the
engrossment in anti-railroad clap-trap
to give attention to so small a matter
as Investigating the healthfulness of
the milk and other food of the people.
That consumption is communicable
through the use of milk is unquestioned
now in any quarter. That in towns and
cities there is a fearful sacrifice of in
every sanitary investigator knows to
be well established.
A year ago or more the Record Union
again took up the subject and urged
upon the County Supervisors that there
be test Investigations of all the dairy
herds in this county By the use of tu-
berculin, without any injury to the COW,
the animal can be tested for tubercuIo-
sis. The cost of such investigation
would not be great, the distractions
offered by the people would be few, if
indeed the authority does not exist to
warrant investigation tests whether the
owner viii or not.
No attention has as yet been paid by
officials to the matter, though the i'm
portant subject has been repeatedly
since then called to the attention of the
board. Doubtless the members look
upon the suggestion as emanating from
abnormal alarm, exaggerated ideas of
the extent of the evil, and a thirst for
Investigations at public expense. But
nothing could be farther from the
truth The intelligence that suggested
the matter is not exposed to any dan
ger from impure milk or diseased cat
tie. Nor is there entertained by the
Record Union any faddish notions
about Investigations, nor any radical
views about haste in promoting re-
forms.
Since, then, neither city nor County
Boards of Health or Of legislation ap-
pear to think it important to now ascer-
tain to what extent dairy herds in Sac
ramento are affected by tuberculosis,
they may be inclined to take up the
other matter to which the Record-Union
has been calling attention for a number
of years. namely, the appointment Of
Food Inspector.
The revelations made in San Fran
cisco in the last twelve or fifteen days
by Milk Inspector Dockery ought to be
sufficient to arouse, if not to alarm, the
authorities here as well as in the me-
fropolis. While we wish to think well
of our milk dealers in the interior cities
and towns, yet since in San Francisco it
has been shown that very large per-
centage of them are dishonest and poi
son and adulterate the milk they sell,
using not only water to increase the
volume, but achievements to restore
consistency that are dangerous to
health, it is probable that there are milk
dealers in the interior whom the mo-
tive of gain may lead into similar prac-
tices. Human nature is pretty much the
same in country as in town. While
temptations are greater in congested
populations, the greed for gain is the
same, and the disposition to make
g OIL ell
is one in metropolis or rural parts.
We need Food Inspector in Sacra-
mento to-day, at once, and no honest
dealer in food fears or will oppose such
an officer. There are dairy herds the
keeping and general environment of
which should be examined into. Milk
is sold as pure that is diluted and pos
sibly that is fortified by deleterious in
gradients. The slaughter-houses and
markets Of all orders should be regu-
iarIy and frequently inspected, that
cleanliness and proper methods may
obtain uniformly. The people have the
right to know that the COWS from
which the milk they use is drawn are
In sound health; that the men who han
die them are clean-handed; that the
dairy vessels are properly cleansed and
not made breeding pots for disease
germs. The people have right to know
that their market food is kept in good
air(and is properly protected from con-
tannination; that the ground in and
around slaughter-houses is clean and