The St. Louis Republic., 1902-07-10
Health Commissioner Requests
That the Present Supply BE
Discontinued.
DEATHS DUE TO IMPURITIES.
Action Is Taken After Analysis
Which Showed a Lack of Clean
Iiness-HOspital and Poor
house Patients Made Ill.

Health Commissioner Stark!oT yesterday
asked Fred c. Meyer. Commissioner OF Sup
plies. TO cancel the contract with Max
Risch for furnishing milk to the City Hos
pitcl. Poorhouse and Quarantine ward in
the Old City Hall. With this request he fo--
warded report OF Doctor II. l.. Nietert,
Superintendent OF the City Hospital.
Doctor Nictert reported yesterday that
the milk being furnished the city insiitu-
tion IS impure and many patients are sick
from the use Of Il. In caSes OF appendicitis
and typhoid fever the disease has been
greatly aggravated and the use OF milk had
TO be dispensed with entirely.
4 meteorological examination made July
5 revealed the fact that the milk contains
bacteria Doctor Nietert lays the blame
for the impurities TO lack OF cleanliness.
Death List Was Increased.
Assistant Health Commissioner Francis
claims that the bad effects Of impure milk
were unnistakab!y noticeable last month
In the reports Of deaths among children.
The number from whOoping cough alone is
larger than all the deaths for the month
from smallpox. diphtheria. scar.etina and
typhoid fever. and these deaths. says Mr..
Francis, are largely due TO impure milk.
II was announced yesterday that the
Committee on Sanitary Affairs of the CI.y
Council Will hold public hearing to-mor-
row afternoon on the milk inspection bill
prepared by the Board OF Health. \ similar
bill prepared by Doctor StaTklOf is pending
I'm the House OF Delegates.
The contract was gwen TO Risch some
time ago. his bid being one quarter Of a
cent below the others received Docto-
Nietert stated that since there has been
constant complaint on account Of the milk.
and he has received petition signed 10y
the entire stan OF hospital physicians, re-
QueStinE a better quality.
There is lack Of cleanliness on the part
OF those handling the milk, Doctor Niete
says, which accounts for its rapid sOur.nS.
Milk brought here, when allowed to stand
becomes sour and has 10 be thrown away.
'kisch. when informed Of the poor char
acter OF the milk furnished. stated that this
was due 10 the Tact that he had recently
purchased some new cattle and they had
not got accustomed TO their feed
Analysis showed ImpurIty of MIX.
JGne = the Health Commissioner advised
the Commissioner OF Supplies that the milk
tine Ward IN the old City Hall was impure.
Superintendent Nietert and City Chemist
Ieichm3nn At that time submitted TO As
SiStant Health Commissioner Francis analy
ses showing the milk was not up to the
standard The analyses were published in
The Republic.
There are three bills relative 10 milk
inspection now before the Municipal As
sembiy." Mr.. Francis said. The one pre-
pared DF the BOARD or Health and lhaC
prepared by Health Commissioner Stark
loT are virtually identical. The third was
formulated by attorneys OF the Dairymen's
Association
Mr.. Francis then called attention to three
deaths from smallpox four from dIphtheria
none from Group. six from scarlatina, seven
from typhoid fever. four from measles and
six from erysipelas.
The reason no valid mIIk-inspection law
has been enacted is due, MIR. Francis said.
to the activity OF the dairymen in opposing
such legislation as may be urged by the
Health Department. He says he will con-
tinue his crusade against dairies that are
not properly operated