Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-18
WHATDO THEY MEAN?.
An Important Question Answered
by Milk Inspectors.
MEANING OF FIGURES EXPLAINED,
Monthly Report Of MIX Inspector, and
the Wisdom of the Law in Provid.
ing for the Inspection--How the
Figures Are Obtained.

Figures Are Obtained.
One of the wisest provisions that is
made for the protection of the people
in this state is, strange to say, one /
about which the least is known. Ref /
erence is made to the milk test, which
is conducted at irregular intervals by
local milk inspectors appointed by
the state for that purpose.
The old joke about the milk man
filling his cans half full of water and |
half full of milk is now back num- |
Der, since the law providing for milk
inspection has become part of the |
Iowa code. Under it's protection one
knows that he is safe in using milk |
sold on the street and assuming that /
it is milk-not water favored with |
milk.
From time to time list has been
published in the Courier giving the
names of different milk dealers and !
the results of different months exam
nations. Very few of the people of
the people of Ottumwa know exactly
what these figures represent, and in
order to throw light on the matter a
{ Courier reporter today interviewed
e. B. Hill, of this city, local milk in
spector, and H. r. Wright, of Des
Moines, deputy state dairy commits
sioner, the latter being in the city on
business connected with his official
position. The value of the milk test
and the thoroness with which it is
conducted were explained by these
gentlemen, and the information will
prove interesting to patrons of milk
men.
First of all, it is a gratifying fact
that the mil.A sold in Ottumwa is so
free from authorizations that no trou-
BILE is encountered, but nevertheless
the tests are made thoroly and care
fully, so that the users of milk are full
ly protected.
What composes Milk.
The object of the milk inspector in
making his examinations is to ascer-
tain the percentage of butter fat con-
tanned in the milk. Of milk of nor
NAL quality about 1875 per cent is
composed of solid matter, while the
remainder is water. OF the 1875 per
cent, about 3.6 per cent is butter fat,
about per cent sugar, about As per
cent casein, and the remainder is
composed of the acids, which become
evident when the milk sours. The
butter fat is the oily part of the milk,
and it is the part distracted when
butter is made. The casein is the
solid used in making cheese, but it
cannot be distracted from the re-
mainder of the milk.
The ingredient which is capable of
being separated from the remainder
nf Mill ic tho h,,ffor 70 opd wboy,
the cream is SKINNED off the milk the
butter fat is taken along, leaving but
q small proportion of this nourishing
part in the milk. In like manner,
when water is poured into the milk,
the percentage of butter fat is reduc-
ed as the percentage of water is in
creased.
How the Inspector Works.
Right here is where the milk inspec-
tor does his work. He meets milk
wagon on the street and takes sam
pie of the milk for examination. The
milk man has no knowledge before
hand that the inspector will examine
his milk that day, so he has to keep
himself in readiness for test at any
time. The inspector takes the sam
pie of milk to his Office and pours into
bottle a mixture of half milk and
half sulphuric acid. The acid sepa-
rates the butter fat from the remain
! der Of the milk and the bottle is
whirled in machine, then filled with
hot water when the butter fat rises to
the top and its relative quantity is
shown by a graduated scale on the
neck Of the bottle.
The figures thus obtained represent
the percentage of butter fat in the
milk examined, and these figures are
the ones which appear from time to
time as a report of the milk inspector.
If the percentage fall below per cent
which is the minimum provided by
law, the milk dealer is liable to prose.
cution according to the laws of the
state. For cream the minimum per-
centage of butter fat is Is per cent,
and it is illegal to sell as cream any
thing containing less butter fat than
that amount.
Milk Preservatives.
An important point which is as yet
unprovided for by the dairy commits
sion is the matter of preservatives put
into milk. These are used almost en-
tirely, when used at all, in the sum.
mer months, when milk sours quickly.
Chemical analysis of milk which has
been preserved by the use Of these
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