The record-union., 1896-08-04
weather Forecast. .
THE INSPECTION SYSTEM.

few days will be in line with all ad-
vanced communities in the matter of
milk and market inspection and the
testing of all dairy herds. The two or
dinances necessary have been passed
and will take effect next week. and
then, If not earlier, the selection Of a
county agent to enforce the law and
apply the tests must be made.
1t goes without saying that every
thing depends upon this agent. He
ought to be veterinarian, OF course;
indeed, the ordinances so contemplate.
He ought to be young, active and have
the backing of education and expe-
rience. He should be energetic and
thoroughly impressed with the deli
cacy and high Importance Of his duty.
1t will not be difficult to find such
man, we think. The schools Of veter-
marian science are turning out good
products, and have been doing so for
a long time, and from among these
we can pick and choose.
The value of the ordinances will be
greatly augmented if the people will give
the inspector when chosen all needed
support. Obstacles should not be inter-
posed to his duty doing. The dairymen
should welcome him gladly, and do all
they possibly can to further his pur-
poses His certificate will become very
valuable to whoever holds it. 1t will
be an advertisement that will go long
way to induce business. But, aside
from this, no dairyman should wish to
avoid inspection of his herd for con-
science sake. 1t must be assumed that
the honest milkman wants to deal fairly
by his customers in the matter Of SELL
ing milk only that will stand the test
of purity applied.
The people will very early learn that
the dairyman who resists the Inspector
is one not to be patronized, and thus
seif-interest will prompt all owners of
milk cows who sell their product not
only to submit, but invite to the test.
In Alameda County certain dairymen
have opposed the application of the tu
berculin test, and recently appeared be-
fore the Health Board and sought to
have it abandoned. But dairymen are
not, as rule, judges of what is the
proper and best test The Bureau of
Animal Industry, maintained by the
Federal Government, has resolved,
after years of experimenting, upon the
the matter.
Aside from inspection of the milk
cows, however, the new officer is to in
spect the houses and utensils of the
dairy and report if they are not UP to
a good sanitary standard. That in
many dairies they are not is positive.
There are dairies where the means for
sterilizing the cans and utensils are of
the crudest kind. There are other milk
dealers who are content with a mere
rinsing of the milk vessels. There are
dairies where the COWS are never
brushed or groomed from one years
end to another. There are dairies in
this county where dirt is the rule and
cleanliness the exception; where the
dairy-rooms afford lodgment for germs
of disease, and where the apparatus for
depriving the milk Of animal heat are
wholly inadequate.
In some places there is not proper
provision for supplying the cows with
pure water, and they should have no
other. and their food is often of a char
acter that should not be used in any
dairy. The COW Is not robust animal.
On the contrary, She is delicate, subject
TO disorders on slight changes Of the
weather, and is especially susceptible to
the Influences of uncleanliness. The
very fact that cows far more than any
other animal are subject to tuberculosis
Is evidence Of their delicate organiza-
ton. They cannot endure, as does the
horse or OK, and with insufficient and
improper food rapidly decline, while
With proper care they as rapidly attain
good condition.
Into all these things the new In
spector will inquire and investigate,
and, in addition, will test the milk sup
ply offered for sale. He is also to in
spect markets and slaughter-houses,
and see to It that proper meats only are
sent to the cutters stand. So the new
man has a great deal to do. He cannot
inspect all the dairy cattle in q year II
he works twelve hours a day, and this
estimate is made on the basis Of the
number Of cattle one man can treat
with tuberculin In a single day under
observations taken In other States and
in counties In this State where inspec-
ton Is prosecuted.
It follows that the Inspector must
have assistants, and he should be per-
mitted to choose them, and be held re-
sponsible for these lieutenants. No
matter what 1t costs, the new system is
going to pay and be cheap. San Fran
cisco has found that to be true. as has
Alameda and Santa Clara, and in those
counties the cost Of the reform is con-
sidered really inconseQuential COM
pared with the benefits.
A desperate robber who would not
hesitate to take human life to effect his
ends. was the other day sent to the