The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-10
The Milk Question.
To THE EDITOR OF THE News.

Considerable has been said and
done during the past two or three years
10 inspire q feeling OF fear or suspicion in
the minds OF the average milk consumer
throug hout the State. The Inspector OF
milk OF the city of Providence, Mr.. Potter,
and mis- assistants, have ben very ener-
getic in their stopping of the MIX
wagons while en- route to their custom
ers, taking samples analyZing them and
then publishing the extent to which II
Is claimed that these samples fall below
the standard. A great deal has been
said about tuberculosis in cows, and
the assertion sent broadcast that the cEt-
tie were dangerous mediums for the
propagation and spreading OF disease
germs of diphtheria, typhoid fever and
other epdemica. The results OF these
REPEATED scares have been materially felt
by the milk dealers, and the general
public v 40 more Interested than are the
dealers themselves in the creating and
maintaining OF a high standard OF milk,
and OF establishing as thorough degree
OF cleanliness and purity as possible. II
was, therefore, with interest that they
learned that Model Milk Farm was to
be established br company Of gent t.e-
men, includod in whose numbers were
several eminent authorities in matters OF
dairy sanitarianism.- Among tnOsa who
have interested themselves in this move
ment are DR.. Gardiner r.. Swarts, secre-
tary OF the state board OF health, Cha les
A. Potter, inspector OF milk of the city of
Providence and MIR. Abner Peckham. the
latter being the nominal head of the farm.
A few days ago party OF hall dozen
gentlemen paid visit 10 this model farm
located on the so-called Kit Thornton
farm in Thornton, expecting to receive
valuable Information OF practical nature
concerning the running OF milk farm.
Bot they were greatly disappointed. ihey
found the farm strangely located in per-
hGps one of the worst disesse-in fected
districts In the vicinity. IL adjoins the
so-called Harris farm, which gained such
an unenviaale reputation last winter as the
hotbcd OF typhoid fever germs, which,
trepsmittsd through milk taken from
cows pnstured thereon, caused an epid. mic
OF fever in this city and resulted i'm sew
eral deaths. Dr.. Svarts, the secretary
Of the state Board of Health, at that
time reported as the result OF his investi-
cations tnat the pestilence was caused by
the fever germs propogGted OH adjoining
land wncre night soil was deposited,
finding their W Y by means OF The brook,
TO the cattle, while they are wadiig or
drinking, and attaching themselves TO
the animals uddors. During the milking
these bacteria became mixed with the
milk and were 30 distributed among the
infected families.
Between the Harris farm and tho rev
barn on Mr.. PeckEam's model farm Is
second field well dressed with night soil.
II one such farm viii cause injected
milk attended with such serious results.
how much danger turks in an additional
field. The new barn has been erected on
sloping low land. bordored on two sides
by swamp. through which courses
stresm fed by the brook which flows
through these night soil deposits and
here the cattle OF MIR. Pecknam's herd
are watered. 1be harm Is within 300 feet OF
the Thornton school house, which week
ago u was thought it would bs- -neees.
sary TO close on account OF tho diphtheria
epidemic. n the pupils contract diphth-
erIa in this district why should II be ex-
pected that tho cattle should escape
contamination frcn the same sourceY
The first point visited was the new milk
house on the hill, where the milk is said
60 be steriIized. Inquiry into tbs matter
shows that instead of the milk being ste
rilized, opiv the glass jars are SUBJECTED
10 the st,riIizing process. thus being 10
Improvement upon the methods now I'D