Evening star., 1896-12-15
TO TAG THE COW S
Health Officer Woodward's Amendments Il
the Milk Law.
How II In Proposed to Keep Track Of
Interesting Recommendation.


gress yesterday afternoon, as stated in The
Star. copy of proposed new law regulat-
ing the sale of milk. covering the points
already covered by existing law and RENE
dying what the authorities here regard as
defects In transmitting a copy of the bill
to- the Commissioners Health Officer Wood
ward explained in full all of the details
OF the measure, which are very compre-
nensive. In his letter DIR. Woodward saws
In respect to some of the more important
provisions Of the bill:
The examination of the milk as offered
LOT sale is of minor Importance when COM
pared Win the supervision of the condi-
IONS under which it is produced, but nei-
tner alone secures with even a REASONS ble
Issfee sra OF certainty good milk supply
me examination of milk as offered for "a le
Will show whether it has been altered since
taken from the COW, by the abstraction of
cream, the addition of water or the use OF
artlncial coloring matter or of preserva-
Ives Ives II VIII not, under any ordinary condi-
uons, show whether the COW from which
II came was suffering from disease, or
Wnetner those employed about the dairy
are SO affected, whether 1t has been proper
eooled a1ter milking, or kept free from
uirt' whether the dairy utensils are kept
ciean or the water used in connection with
them Is free from pollution. And yet errors
IN the latter respect are more dangerous
py skimming, or of milk by watering as is
OCCASIONALLY done, and the consumer is not
them.
h.a Inc requirement in the bill submitted
herewith (section ~ that all permits be re-
issued each year, while imposing additional
la Dor on the health department. is deemed
desirable in order to afford a closer super
t.sioh th over the milk traffic of this District
than is now possible. Under the present
system 1t is impossible to keep track of
tnose having permits. who go out of the
iiillk business, so that large amount of
the records va
The authority asked to tag all the cows
supplying milk for use in the District of
Columbia tscctions 2, and q, is abso-
the milk supply. Experience under the
present law has shown that cows which
nave been condemned on one farm find
tneir way into the hands of another dairy
ventfon of dealers in cattle. Owing to the
lnIrequehcy of inspection, due to the limited
1orce OF inspectors, cows MAY be inno-
centiy used by the dairyman into whose
naEds they thus come for a considerable
period before either the dairyman or the
health office becomes aware of such use
ne proposed requirement that those en-
gageo In the dairy business shall have
none out tagged cows on their premises is
necessary In view of the practical impossf-
oiilty OF proving whether milk is or is not
sold from untagged cows even Though dis
eased, II such be allowed upon the farm
Inc provision for the issue of permits for
the use of untagged cattle in case of neces-
slty will prevent any hardship in case il
becomes necessary to purchase additional
stock at a time when it is impossible for
the inspector to Immediately visit the farm
and the application for such permit will
serve as notice to the health officer
that there is a COW upon the premises spec
ihed in the application waiting to be ex-
i finSy g
diseased cows for dairy purposes, is neces-
sary to protect dairymen and the public
from INSCRIPTIONS dealers in cattle who
seem at present to make a specially of the
dairyman for the purpose of selling them
as sound to another
Tags for Cows.
The sections of the bill relating to the
tagging of cows are as follows
That the health officer of the District of
Columbia be, and he is hereby, authorized
TO cause TO be made metal tags, numbered
and stamped with some device deemed
suitable by him, and to cause each cow
from which milk is, or is to be, supplied for
use In said District, to be examined by a
veterinary surgeon, and, If such COW is
sound and in good health, to cause to be
afixed to her one of the tags aforesaid No
person shall counterfeit or initiate the tag
before provided for, nor put on any COW
any counterfeit or imitation tag, nor, with
out authority of said health officer. remove
or cause to be removed, either directly or
indirectly, such tag; ncr place or cause to
De placed such tag on any other COW than
the one to which it was affixed by author
lty OF said health officer. 1t shall be the
duty of the owner of any COW thus tagged
TO notify the said health officer Immediately
a1ter becoming aware of the loss Of any
tag therefrom.
That after the Examination of the cows
at any dairy farm has been made as here
IN provided for, and tags have been affixed
10 such OF them as are sound and in good
health, 1t shall be unlawful for the propri-
etor OF such dairy farm, without a written
permit from the health officer of the Dis
trlct OF Columbia, to have or keep thereon
any milch cow not tagged as herein pro-
vided Tor; or, either directly or indirectly
TO sell, exchange or deliver, or to send or
bring into the District of Columbia any
milk from any cow not tagged as afore-
SAID; every permit hereafter issued to send
or bring milk into the District of Columbia
snail be conditioned upon compliance with
the provisions Of this section"