The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-04
TO secure PURER milk
Decisive Step Taken by the Board Of
Health Yesterday.
WILL PUBLISH RESULT OF TESTS
This. 1t Is Expected. VIII Ineite Competi.
tion Among the Wholesaler.
After tho Cicrgymeu and
Magistrates Again.

The board of health yesterday deter
mined upon a new scheme to insure the
sale of better milk in the city. 1t is to
publish every month the official test Of
the quality of milk sold by the different
wholesale dealers. BY doing this 1t Is
thought rivalry will be created among
the dealers and in striving to make the
best showing each will insist on the
farmers shipping nothing but the best
quality of milk.
The plan was suggested by Colonel
Ripple and was unanimously agreed to
by the other members. Dr. Paine was
somewhat dubious about the advisa-
bility OF such proceeding. as the board
at Harrisburg had tried the same
scheme and was sued for damages by
the dealers. What the outcome OF the
suits was DR.. Paine did not know. In
order that the board may act intelli-
gently in the matter the food inspector
was instrusted to secure an opinion
from the city solicitor as to the boards
liability of being mulcted in damage
suits before putting the plan into exc
cution.
The adoption Of this measure resulted
from the continued complaints Of Food
inspector Thomas about the poor quail
ity Of milk that despite his vigilance Is
supplied the wholesalers by unscrupu-
soN' AoAuiS2Sp Wuo ShlHl UT water lnelr
milk and feed their cows on unwhole-
some fodder, such as brewery grain,
potatoes and the like.
STATE LAWS FORBID 1T.
The state laws forbid the use Of brew
cry grain as fodder for cows, but never
theless every bushel of the material
that the local breweries can supply is
bought up by the farmers. The demand
has to walt five or six hours before he
can secure load. The wholesalers are
as desirous as the board of health to
have only the best milk brought to the
city, but there Is nothing now to encour-
age them to make energetic efforts to
secure this result. The rivalry which
the new scheme is expected to excite
Will supply an incentive to extra effort
In this direction.
| The fact that only thirty-four mar
riages We're reported last month caused
the board to adopt another extreme
measure to compel q stricter observ-
ance of the law. This time 1t is the
clergymen and magistrates who are un-
der fire. Last October the board
threatened prosecutions If full returns
OF marriages were not made. The next
month the returns Of marriages in
creased from twenty-three to one hun
dred In December 1t dropped to sixty
eight, next month 1t was f1fty-two, the
next month they further decreased to
fifty, and last month 1t reached thirty
four. This very apparent disregard OF
the law nettled the board and 1t decid-
ed to proceed to prosecutions without
further threats. AS a. preliminary step
Secretary Briggs was instructed to
compare the returns with the returns
in the clerk Of the courts office and
discover who have been derelict. The
next meeting will probably see the
prosecutions under way.
Secretary Briggs report for March
was as follows: Number OF deaths
III; brought to the city for interment
10; number Of births, 1O4-males, So, fe-
males 81; number Of marriages, a.
number Of contagious diseases report.
ed, 33; number Of deaths from contag.
ious diseases, 2; both being from diph.
iberia.
SUPT. LOTUS REPORT.
Henry LOTUS, crematory superintend.
ent, reported that 1911 barrels Of gar.
bage and six dogs had been destroyed
with the use Of twenty-three and one.
holt tons Of coal.
The board agreed to make an officia
call on Mayor-elect Bailey, after he 1.
inducted into Office, and directed Secre
tary Briggs to visit Mr.. Bailey and Sc.
cure an audience.
With yesterdays meeting the term oi
Colonel E. H. Ripple expired. Mr.
Bailey will be called upon to fill the
vacancy within the next two weeks.
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