Evening star., 1902-02-06
THE MILK SUPPLY
Proposed Legislation to Regulate
Production and Sale.
VIEWS OF DISTRICT HEALTH OFFICER
Recommends Adoption and Com
missioners Make Favorable Report.
AMENDING PRESENT LAW

| DR.. VIM. c. Woodward. the health Off
| GER, today submitted a favorable report to
! the District Commissioners on Senate bill
| 1856 for the regulation of the production
and sale of milk and cream in and for the
District of Columbia. The report has been
approved by the Commissioners and will
be forwarded to Congress-
The production and sale of milk in the
District of Columbia says DIR. Woodward,
are regulated by an act to regulate the
sale of milk in the District of Columbia
and for other purposes, approved March 2,
1898. The chemical standard for whole
milk Is fixed by an act relating to the aduI-
teration of foods and drugs in the District
of Columbia. approved February II, 1885,
The chemical standard for cream is fixed
by the same act, but it's production and
sale. except SO far as relates to it's chemi-
cal composition Is unrestricted The bill
under consideration is designed to correct
defects and supply DEFICIENCIES in existing
law which have been demonstrated by
somewhat over six years experience in the
enforcement thereof. For convenience this
bill has been made to include the provisions
of existing law as they would stand If the
necessary amendments were made and is
intended to replace the statute now in
force.
ne SnAnSes HecOmm enued.
The following are the most important
changes which the passage of this bill will
effect in existing law:
L. The pending bill will, if enacted re-
quire that cream offered for sale in the
District of Columbia be produced and sold
under sanitary conditions similar to those
applicable to the production and sale Of
milk.
There seems to be no reason why dis
elimination should be made between these
two articles. The dangers from both are
similar and the causes from which such
dangers arise are the same
The pending bill will, if enacted. re-
qu1re all persons producing milk or cream
for sale in the District of Columbia, or of
Ierlng milk or cream for sale therein to
provide and use sufficient and suitable
means for cooling such articles and for
keeping them cold.
THE most important factor in the mar
ketfng of milk is its delivery to the custo-
mer. with minimum of accommodation or
Souring. Changes of this character result
from the growth of bacteria in the milk
ouch bacteria are not found in milk as Sc
creted by the COW, but are introduced in
the process of milking and marketing the
milk The growth of these organisms is
retarded by cold and promoted by warmth, |
ana ai IN growing they bring about certain
cheInlcal changes in the milk. When their
growth has proceeded to a certain noint |
the milk Is perceptibly sour is unmar-
ketable, and is not likely to be consumed hv |
any q NJ hIelisent adult although it may be |
taken with serious and possibly fatal re- |
suits by infants physically and meuta1fv |
unable to reject it.
Regarding Cleanliness.
Something can be done toward retard- |
ing the decomposition of milk by limiting |
the number of bacteria In it through due |
attention to cleanliness. etc, while milking
IN view, however. of the extreme rapiditv
WIN winch bacteria multiply, careful milk
ing IS not sufficient to keep milk reasonably 7
S"eet IN warm weather. To do this it is
essential that the germs which have been
Introduced be destroyed by the application
u neat or that their growth b, retarded bv
Keeping the milk cold. Milk which has
. ,een heated IN order to kill the germs which
| contains, may be either steriIized' ar |
pasteurized, depending upon the point to |
Nhich the temperature is raised. If II he
'alsed sufficiently high the milk is steriI
leo- MILK OF this character has a peculiar
laVor, which is Objectionable to MANY peo
DE, and is generally regarded as less dipas-
lple than milk not so treated To pasteu
'lze milk-that is, to heat il sufficientIv |
llsh 10 XIII all OF the common forms Of |
germ life and yet not high enough to ster
lize 1t-requires special apparatus which ts |
more or less expensive and difficult to on !
rate Moreover, pasteurized milk is nor
'eneraIly acceptable to the public The
'nly way, therefore. in which milk car he !
marketed In a satisfactory condition 10
nrough prompt cooling and the subseouent
continuous application of cold so as to re-
ara as much as possible the deyeIopment
II the bacteria which it contains The
maximum temperature at which mill
mould be Kept in order to limit decomposi
Ion to reasonable extent is fifty degrees
'ahrenheit. AS, however. it does not An.
'ear to be practicable to keep the milk SO
OLD during transportation from the farm
o the railroad station and from the sta
ior to the city, the proposed legislation
or this District requires the cooling of the
MIX on the farm to a point not above
ixty degrees Fahrenheit, and its cnoline
n the city, where ice is always ayailshIe
o a point not above fifty degrees Fahren'
eit. 1t requires, too, that milk be kent
onstantly cold; by the farmer below sixtv
fly degrees. i'"
For Cleansing Receptacles. II
''3. The pending bill REQUIRES nurcbossrs