Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-12-12
THE MILK STANDARD AGAIN.

IL .4sH
Editor The Gazette: While the
question of milk legislation ia now
undsr consideration every point In the
formation of law should be carefully
considered.
In former letter to The Gazette,
proposed standard OF 3 Per cent OF
fat and IL. per cent of total solids, and
for good reason.
The proposed amendment fixes the
standard at 8 per cent of fat and ~ per
cent Of total solids. This Is the New
York State law. Regarding the New
York standard DR.. L. l.. Van Slyke,
chemist Of the New York Agricultural
Experiment Station, says in substance:
1.-THE legal standard for milk In New
York State in II per cent OF total solids
and per cent OF fat. "
The extensive analysis Of milk made
by the station furnish the most reliable
! data yet obtained as to the quality Of
the average milk produced in the State.
These data show that the proportion OF
! per cent Of fat and IL per cent OF
\ solids Is wrong, since On an average
normal milk containing per cent of
fat contains only ii. % or II. so per cent
Of total solids.
To contain u per cent of solids we
must have normal milk containing B .
/ per cent OF fat.
/ The result lie that milk containing
less thsn 3. 5 per cent of fat will usually
be found be'ow II per cent OF Holids,
and hence condemned as adulterated,
Strictly enforced, our present milk
| standard would declare as adulterated
the greater proportion of rhe milk pro-
duced in April and early May.
4 Mn fart thu pr0p0rfinn nj z IN IL
occurs only in partially skinned milk.
These proceedings are the words OF n
person as we'll qualified to speak on
this subject as any man in the country.
4 The satisfactory solution Of the milk
STANDARD problem is one of great diff
! Guilty. Ii made too high it will lead TO
un Just convictions of honest dairymen,
ON the other hand il the standard ie
made low enough 10 exclude all cases
OF low normal milk the result will he
!, Increased adulteration.
But Whatever be the standard fixed
llet il lea rational one. and instead of
, the ratio OF II per cent Of total solids
| aud 8 per cent of fat, make it either IL
I per cent of total solids and 3. per cent
! OF fat, which AS DR.. Van Slyke claims
( is too high, or better 3 per cent of fai
I and Ills yer cent o. solids.
r Better than any legal standard at all,
4 flor any standard is open to objections,
2 is the plan Of rating milk as proposes
!, 10 the Pan. A marican model dairy test
+ To approximate the present retail price,
o let, Iof the winter months, fat be placet
a at so cents pound and solids not fa
II at 10 cents. The plan would con
!. template the monthly or bi-monrhl.
II analysis OF the milk of every dea.er II
the city, that the results of thes
!, analyses should be published periodi
n cally, and circulated among the people
10 giving for each dealer the percentag
:. Of fat and OF solids not fat, and th
u value of the milk per quart on tn
above bns g. This will enable con
q sumers to know what they are buying
ID The following will illustrate the prin
is oiple:
70 Dealsr John A., l. SO per cent fat: g.
70 per cent solids not fat; value SO cent
he per quart.
" Dealer John b.. 81 per cent fat; g..
y per cent solids not fat; value 7.6 cent
Is per quart.
d Dealer John c., III per cent fat; 5.
n per cent solids not fat; value $50 cent
per quart.
to Dealer John D., 5. 0 per cent fat; O.
or per cent solids not fat; value 9.2 CEN
~ per quart
~ The above values are for whit,
or months and closely approximate cen
ee quart for good milk. In SUNNI
10 the prices are two cents quart les
SO This system would be eminently ia
and self regulating. John A., who sci
n low grade milk. cannot long be pa
ce eight cents per quart for bis produc
NJ on the other hand IL he Is willing
he sell 1t for 5. there may be many po
les people who will gladly buy low
10. grade milk at q lass price.
of John O., again, will probably eth
all have to go out of the market or il
mt prove hie rroduct by stoppinR b
he adulteration. Again, John D.. who
Ut. milk is of high grade. will readily FL
OF purchase at 8 cents, and might be ali
,th to sell to wealthy families at 0.
in At any rate the merits and values
re- each dairyman's product will be plac
md before the public, and choice can
tut made.
lat The carrying out Of this system "
The imply that the city shall have labor
ing tory for milk analysis. SO that il c
ge- have these systematic analyses made
my the minimum cost. Such laborato
he could be fitted out for $3.50, and {
all work could be conducted for $500
be- year, including the salary Of q mi
its analysist, who would work under
ap- direction Of the milk inspector.
out ~ Frederick d. Chester,
The Delaware College
cd Newark, Dec. 8, 1901.