Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-19
QUALITY OF THE CITYS MILK
SENATE PASSES A RESOLUTION
CALLING FOR INFORMATION.
District Commissioners Called Upon
to Direct Inspector of Dairy
Products to Report.

An investigation into the quality of mi k
served to the people of the District of Co
lumbia is 10 be made by order of the Sen
ate, and if in any respect this important
article of food is found to be not up to the
standard it is understood that bill will
be introduced in Congress in order to rem
edy existing evils.
In the Senate today Mr.. Gallinger, who is
himself a physician, and who has shown
great interest in all matters re,ating to
health, introduced the following resolution
which was adopted by the Senate without
debate:
Resolved, That the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia be directed to furnish
the Senate with report from the inspector
OF dairy products showing the quality and
condition of milk and cream sold in the
District of Columbia, and whether the same
contain any foreign substance deleterious to
health, and if so, giving a description of
such substance and what legislation is nee
essary to remedy the evil
1t is understood that by means of the in
vestigation that will be made through this
resolution the Senate may be informed of
the substances, if any, that are contained
in the milk, together with the diseases they
are likely to produce. The law of the Dis
trict provides for the levying of fines in the
case of persons selling milk that has been
SKINNED unless 1t IS sold skim-mi k
and also in relation to the adulterants that
are sometimes used in order to make
product that looks like either rich milk or
thick, rlch cream, when, in fact, it is
neither. But it is understood that the law is
seriously defective in not providing any
means for preventing the sale of milk that
may De unciean or may not be properly
coo!ed or in other undesirable condition
which might produce sickness. 1t is said
that milk that leaves a very perceptible
amount of black sediment in a glass or
pitcher containing it, which sediment, in
fact, may be the result of dirt from the
COW and under certain circumstances may
De injurious to health, can be sold and no
one in the District has authority to force a
dealer handling such milk to see that It is
properly cleansed. AS a rule the straining
OF the mix takes such matter from the
fluid, but it is said that much of the milk
sold in the District contains an unneces-
sary quantity of dirt.
1t IS expected that a report from the in
spector of dairy products will result in
giving Congress clear idea of the char
acter OF milk sold in the District, and that
II the law needs amending action can be
taken very promptly in order to raise the
standard of milk used here.
Health officer VIII Not Talk Now.
The resolution will. when received from
the Senate by the District Commissioners,
be referred by them to DIR. VIM. C. Wood
ward, the health officer, whose department
has immediate supervision of the matter.
DR.. Woodward stated this afternoon that
he is glad to learn that the Senate has re-
quested the report on the subject. but added
that. out of courtesy to that body he would
decline to make any statements prior to the
making of the report which he expects the
Commissioners Will ask from him. For the
same reason, DR.. Woodward said it would
not be proper for the inspector of his de-
partment in charge of the inspection of
live stock to make any statement prior to
such report.