The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-22
CONTAMINATION OF milk
Commissioners Reply TO Senate
Resolution of Enquiry.
Views of the District Health officer
and the Inspector of Dairy Pro-
ducts-Cnuse of Present Unsatis-
factory Conditioned Bill Submit-
ted TO Remedy Existing Faults.

In reply to a resolution of enquiry
missioners have forwarded a report rela-
tive TO the contamination of the milk
supply of the District. The report en-
bodies the views of the Health Officer and
of the Inspector of Dairy Products, to-
eether with bill which the Commission
ers request TO be enacted.
In his report to the Commissioners DR..
William c. Woodward, the Health Officer,
says that in view of the fact that the du-
ties of the Inspector of Dairy Products are
not such as to acquaint him personally
with the condition of the cattle from which
our milk supply comes, nor with the con-
dition of the premises on which such cat
tie are kept, he has caused report to be
prepared by the Inspector of Dairy Farms,
who has immediate supervision of such
matters and forwards it herewith for t.ans-
mission TO the honorable Senate. if such
action be deemed proper. Continuing DR..
Woodward says:
But the present unsatisfactory condi-
ton of our milk supply is not due entirely
TO defects in existing law; an insufficient
tent responsible for the trouble. 1t is
manifestly impossible for one veterinary
surgeon to supervise all of the dairy .arms
from which our milk supply is derived and
to inspect, too, all live stock intended for
slaughter. Nor can one chemist maintain
an efficient control over the condition of
milk and cream as it reaches our market,
while at the same time he is required to
see that all sorts of foods and drugs are up
to statutory requirements, that water from
public and private wells is not dangerous
to health, whether samples of liquors SUBJ
mitted by the Police Department are OF are
not intoxicating and whether visceria SUBJ
mitted by the Coroner do or do not con-
tain poison. To remedy existing condi-
tions more inspectors are needed as Iluch
as more law. Indeed, without the former
the latter can effect but little improve
ment, while sufficient force of inspectors
could do much even under the law now in
force
j. ID. Hird, the Inspector of Dairy Pro-
ducts, reported that during the past seven
years he had analysed about 1000 samples
of milk, independent of cream, and had
thus had abundant opportunity to become
familiar with this important food product |
in its various forms of contamination. Dr. |
Hird defined contamination to mean, not |
only the addition of water, coloring mat |
ter, preservatives, and the abstraction of |
cream. but also those forms Of contamina- !
lion due to carelessness on the part or per- |
sons handling the milk to which is added |
hose sources of contamination such as the |
OF bacteria into milk from the |
air.
With reference to the contamination of |
he milk supply by the carelessness of |
hose handling the product, DR.. Hird men
ions the introduction of dirt or manure |
alling from the TANKS of the COW during
he milking process, and the introduction
If foreign matters into the cans or other
'eceptacles of the fluid due to the lack of |
proper cleaning and care. When separat-
I'd from the milk. DR.. Hird says the sam
1les brought to him for examination. con-
aimed epetnelium cells. parts of insects,
hair, dust. and execrementitious matter
rom the COW.
The greatest danger to be derived from
contaminated milk, in DIR. Hird's opinion,
S from the use of the fluid when il con-
aims the germs of typhoid fever diphthe-
ia, and tuberculosis, the bacteria of these
diseases flourish in milk of all grades, and
once introduced, from whatever cause.
he milk cannot be used without the grav-
st danger to the person taking it. Dr.
iird says:
Up to the present time somthing like
~ epiuemlcS oil typhoid fever have been
raced to polluted milk, and while We have
zen unable to follow up the history of ty-
hold fever cases in the District to any
reat extent, yet such analysis as / have
cen able to make of the waters from the
airy farms in the District lead me to the
pinion that this is one of the important
ources Of the disease in Washington, !
hitch opinion is strengthened by my
nowledge of the condition Of some of these
airy FARMS
Coming to the remedies for the evils
'sulting from the sale and use OF con-
milk DR.. Hird mentions the
'mpulsory sterilization OF milk by which
lie germs would be killed. In addition, as
step for immediate improvement of the
ilk supply. DR.. Hird suggests the i'm
'sng of license upon persons maintain
g dairy which he thinks would tend to
eeding out irresponsible persons from the s
lsiness and would have a beneficial effect ,,
once.
The bill which the Commissioners have i
omitted to the Senate with the forego- I
& reports is somewhat voluminous but '
embodies in the main the recommends p
ons of Dr. Hird and DIR. Woodward, in II
uding the regulation of the authorizations v
certain alcoholic liquors as well as OF a
e milk supply. The Commissioners have S
so expressed the hope that the proposed ?
II be enacted into law a
n