Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1900-11-22
FormsldsbyAe In MIch,~.r


a poisonous drug to be used in milk
that people are to drink. Yet we find
such rogues travelling through the ru-
raj communities and inducing the
producers Of milk for human consump-
ton to purchase large quantities OF
the stun. In recent report the Dairy
ana Food Commissioner OF Michigan
saws:
During August the published and
undisputed statements from the local
authorities in the city of Detroit show
that large per cent of Detroit dealers
were using formaldehyde in the milk
distributed to the homes of that city.
roiiowing this statement samples OF
milk were received at this depart
ment's Detroit Office, and which on ex-
animation almost invariably were
round to contain formaldehyde. It was
urged as incumbent upon the State
DAIRY and Food department to expend
fair share of its resources in De-
troit, as well as throughout the state,
and although large sum Of money is
expended every year for the detection
and prosecution of violations of the
FOOD and dairy laws in Detroit, it was
nnaily thought best to make at least
partial inspection of Detroit's milk
supply. Accordingly the inspection
was undertaken about the middle OF
the month, and disclosed the fact that
over 75 per cent Of the samples pro-
cured we're found to contain formalde-
hyde as preservative. 1t Is possible.
OF course, that the departments in
spectors happened to strike In their
inspection just those dealers who were
using formaldehyde and that the per
cent shown by this inspection Is not
true one when applied to the whole
city. But these samples were secured
In portions Of the city peopled by the
best classes, where one would natural
" expect pure milk would be obtained
IL anywhere.
Complaint was Immediately lodged
against every dealer whose milk con-
tained formaldehyde, or thirty-five
separate and distinct dealers. The de-
partment was at once assailed by these
dealers through advertisements in the
Detroit dailies, denying the charge.
The assailants attributed various mo-
tives, political and otherwise, for the,
to them, unheard of action, and invited
the public to attend the police court
on the day Of examination and witness
the vindication of the accused. The
day set for examination was Sept. 18th,
and after consultation, the attorneys
for the defendants stated to the court
that they wished to submit certain
legal technical objections in these
cases. and did not think 1t advisable
to go into the facts upon examination,
and that they requested further time
In which to prepare their arguments
upon the legal technscalities. The court
accordingly set Friday. Oct 9Th, for
the hearing Of arguments upon the
alleged questions of law raised by de-
.fendants. hs8 ~
In the meantime It is reported that
the Detroit board OF health, at the
first meeting after the complaints were
filed against the thirty-five dealers. In
structed their health officer to allow
the accused milk dealers access to the
boards records in order to prove their
innocence Of the charges preferred
against them by this department.
After looking the ground all over,
1t is plain that q strong effort has been
made during the present summer to
introduce and push in Michigan the
sale OF formaldehyde and boracic, acid
for use in preserving milk. The de-
partment is advised by the best au-
thority In the state that the use OF
such 'preservatives in milk is abso-
lutely injurious. Prosecutions of milk
dealers brought by this department are
for the purpose OF killing this practice
as soon as possible. Believing that
no more despicable proof of the love OF
gain can be had than Is furnished by
the introduction into the milk supply
of our homes of a poisonous acid pre-
servative, prosecution will be insti-
tuted wherever and whenever the ne
cessary proofs can be secured. the
sole object being to protect the one
and destroy the other.
Nearly 100000 hogs at eleven mar
kets the first two weeks OF October
are unheard of receipts this time OF
year, says Drovers' Journal. The total
this week was 436,000 and the previ-
GUS week 100000, making $4,000, OF
which Chicago is credited with 335 200,
or $4,000 more than we received year
ago. OF course, prices have declined
some, but the way packers lick them
up is caution, especially when the
numbers are considered and the fact
that prevailing prices are the highest
in seven years and with one or two
exceptions the highest in twenty years
for this time Of the year. The average
price at Chicago this week was about
SIS, or S5c above the average for the
entire month Of October, 1899, .$l.59
above the average for the month OF
October, 1898, and S1.90 above the av-
erage for October, 1896. which was
only 1925. Since January /, 1900, to |
date, the eleven markets received IT,
$4,000, or 10000 less than year ago
and 33S,000 more than two years ago. |
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