New-York tribune., 1896-07-30
TIED By HEALTH DEPl

this ratio is reversed, II Is natural to look for
some radical cause. DR.. West attributed the
low death rate in New-York TO the fact tnat
Nathan Straus during the summer months gave
ont thousands Of bottles of sterilized milk daliy
to the poor. This gives babe3. among whom
the deaths are by far the most numerous In
summer, the proper food to keep them In
healthy condition. During the last month there
have been more deaths OF infants in Brooklyn
than ever before in the history OF the Health
Department. IT therefore with great satis-
faction that the Health Department: received the
offer Of Mr. Straus to furnish LOCO bottles dag
Of sterized milk to be distributed among the
BROOKLYN poor people The health authorities,
as has been stated, have decided 10 nave 'his
milk distributed through the Brooklyn Diet Dis
pensary, q phanthropic organization or long
standing THIS society has branches at No. q
De Kalb- ave. No SS3 Mvrtle-ave, No. 231 Lor-
imer-st, No. 80 Sackett-st. and No. Dos How
ard-st. The wort of distributing the milk was
10 have begun yesterday, but. although the milk
was on hand none was given out because none
of the necessary orders were presented. Ice
chests to preserve the mill. were distributed by
the Health Department Tuesday night. and
the wagon from New-Yorl visited the different.
dispensaries yesterday morning and left the first
supply Of sterilized milk. Owing to the driver
being unfamiliar with the route the milk was
received late yesterday, and n ruinor arose that
its distribution would be delayed week. How
ever the milk remained in the ice chess all day.
and not single bottle was given out. because
the matrons have been hampered with such
strict regulations. They have been instructed
not to give out the milk unless a special order
prepared by the health authorities and filled out
| by a physician is presented The blanks will be
<1,o oit1 will ale
he in the hands of the special summer corps Of
| city inspectors. But evidently these blanks
have not been sent out. and meanwhile the milk
Is going to waste while the infants alf over the
| city are suffering for the want of It.
The matron at the South Brooklyn dlspensary
| took fifty bottles Of the milk yesterday. She
said: 81 could have used every bottle OF this If
| my hands had not been tied down by the red
| tame of the health authorities. Many sick babies
have been here to-day who are In need OF steril-
lied milk, but their orders were for tho plain
milk, and I could give them nothing else"
It was the same story at the other dispensaries
plenty Of milk on hand and great need for it.
but the lack of a special order. AT our other
diets supplies are given out for an order written
on any kind of paper II only signed by physi-
cian and it should be the same in the distribu
ton Of the sterilized milk said one of the
matrons.
Another thing that will limit the distribution
of the milk is the fact that the applicant IS re-
oujred 10 deposit four cents for the half-pint and
six cents for the pint bottles in order TO insure
their safe return. This will be an easy matter
for some. but there are many who cannot even
snare that amount. At the De Kalb-avc 1is>
persary to-day woman. who would not give
her name said that she was much interested in
this new charity and would make it personal
matter to see that doctors received the proper
blanks at once She also SPOKE of raising a fund
which would allow those who could not pay the
deposit to have their milk Then * the bottles
are not returned, Mr.. Strau5 will be repaid from
this fund.- This, II Is though. VIII require little
capital.
ii Is hoped that the system will be in good
working order in week. About four bottles
day will be required by eacn infant treated. Mr..
Straus has promised TO furnish POO bottles day
10 each dispensary. and more II II Is required.
The milk Will be received fresh every day. all
that is left from day to day being taken back to
the factory. The milk is of three kinds and may
be designated by numbers as follows:
No | consists OF a mixture or equal parts OF
milk and water with the addition of twelve
ounces of sugar OF milk and onc-half pint of
limewater tc the gallon. This IS put UP in six
ounce bottles
lev water. with the addition of eight ounces of
cane sugar and eighth ounce Of salt TO the
gallon: put up in six ounce bottles.
No. 3 is plain pasteurized milk In sixteen-ounc
bottles.
that they will have to &c kept corked. and the
milk thus kept pure
Several applications were made at the dspcn-
sarles yesterday by people who wished to buy
the milk but they were Iefused, az II Is eXclu-
svely for the poor.