New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-01
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
MR.. STRAUS WILL STILL SELL MILK.

THE BENEFITS OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TO
REDUCE THE cirYs DEATH RATE
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir; desire TO contradict most emphatically
the rumor that l am going to abandon any
further efforts TO place sterllzsd milk within the
reach Of the children OF the poor Of New-York.
The fact that one OF the employees at one OF the
depots was detected In Swimming some Of the milk
under her charge surely affords better reason for
going out OF the milk business than the discovery OF
dishonest clerk would he Tor going out of the dry
goods business / confess to having been rather
surprised at the prominence given to this incident
by many newspapers. l had thought that petty
offering was too common Incident of daily ex-
perience 10 give its intrusion even into the work
Of charity any sensational importance. and II had
not previously occurred 10 that betrayal OF
trust on the part OF one Of those in my employ
could be seized upon a means of casting dis
credit on all my work had not realized before
that human life was cheap In New-Yorf that
systematic and earnestly directed efforts to
1t should be deemed unworthy Of notice. while the
confessed dishonesty OF very humble agent OF
these efforts should be treated OF the most
momentous discoveries of the day.
am unable to understand this curious nver-
sion OF the OF proportion. applied to the
interests OF my fellow-men as l am incapable OF
initiating It. When l went into the business OF
supplying the poor OF New-York with pure milk
food for their children at nominal price delib-
erately addressed myself the task OF reducing
the death rate OF the city. | have met with sue
cess beyond my most sanguine expectations az the
mortality statistics bear ample evidence. The work
begun In experimental way In the summer
OF 1898 when the Of the seasons business was
siicc bottles OF sterzed milk. early recognized
the fact that perfect sterilization was an abso-
lutely essential precaution In ali milk intended for
infant nourishment. and saw that anybody who
wanted 10 make impression on the appalling
figures OF infant mortality in this city must attack
the problem In very large way. Encouraged by
the Endorsement OF the Health Board and OF the
leading physicians In the city, as well as ny my
own knowledge OF what good the use OF sterilized
milk had accomplished very much Increased
the sterlliziig laboratory IN 1893 and made every
preparation the demands OF the season OF
1894. six depots were established for the sale 0t
milk. both In the natural and sterilized FORM ana
OF the lime water dilution OF sierzed milk, pre-
pared from a formula by Or. II. G. Freeman, and
OF the barley water diluuon 81 sierized nilk.
s sSdo5 10 10 bss ericed G BY Of the
DOCK department, raNiion on IN. paei ,ra.hs r
resort for mothrTs shere they could take their
children and have pure milk food supplied 10 men.
Gowntown parks 'i nine booths for the saie Of
ural and sterzed milk at a cent a glass. soon
OF my laboratory. the demand for sterilized mix
SsPois in "A he "U season ssss bottles Of .,erzsd
milk we're distributed. in addition to me saier al
Of milk i by the glass at att the park booths.
In order to mske adequate prsps,r"on ,1r In In,
ins Dian; nt;eI up and he size OF the working
space OF the laboratory greatly increased seven
we're opened, before permission vas ssain
granted 20 place booths In the parks for the sale
sold and sven away 5i2..sa glasses OF mix about
Of the seasons business has been thst there =,
were disposed OF from June 70 october Is bS','s
This It viii be perceived. Is 2s2 so bottles more
prohabiv represents about the rate at which the
demand ls likely 10 grow from year TO year Win.
the milk Is on sale Strictly speaking the con
sumpt does not represent the actual safes. since
az aseny ~ cbar,ahia soceries or ~ phvscian.
doing grarufous service among the poor. As n lr
impossible sell sier.lized milk AT cent bottle
except al loss the business can hardy De sald 20
belong the domain OF commerce While al the
,esSb proner,ions csiSniatsd o oyerax resources
more amp.e than mine ! must repeat thst am IN
II 10 stay I'LL u is aiken ~ by stronger hsnds
may claim some lttle credit FOR having awakened
p oT Of pure milk supply Bu, the work
must 90 further. What We need Is state legsla-
tervals. and by the application OF the tuberculin
test OF every COW yielding milk ;or sale Under
our present system OF inspection there IS no Sc
curiiy whatever against the faint OF tuberculosis.
typhoid, d;phthera, scarlet fever etc, n raw MIX
precautions are taken TO arrest the certain props
cation OF disease and death. II II be the duty OF
the Health authorities 10 that milk placed on
sale IL robbed OF It's nutr.t.ve constituents. 1t
is doubly Their duty 10 see that II Is not medium
fatal and insid Gus types OF disease and this can
be accomplished only by sterilization When this
absolutely pure thoroughly sier.lized is placed.
have ave been SoPp.yins o at nominal prices
retire from the business. But before doing 50.
any other agency properly organized for the work
plant completely equipped, and capable OF steriliz
New-York Oct. 81. 1895.