Arizona republican., 1903-09-05
CITY'S DAIRY SUPPLY
Rumors Regarding Doctored Milk and
Suggestions to Buyers.

In these later days the milk supply
OF every city has become a matter OF
the greatest concern TO its inhabitants.
In the occasional agitations that must
necessarily occur there is no doubt
that some honest milkmen get the
worst OF it, but there is also no doubt
that the public generally gets a long
way the worst of it at some other
times Time was when the only fear
of the consumer was that the milk
contained too much water and natural
impurities the result of unsanitary con-
ditions, but in recent years, especially
in warm countries. the difficulty OF
keeping milk long without its sOurinS
has prompted scientific genius to the
discovery of artificial preservativeS
that have been placed within the reach
OF milkmen, too many of whom have
taken advantage of their opportunity.
1t is 4 fact, generally agreed upon
By physicians, that all these preserva-
tives are deleterious to the health of
the user. especially small children, and
many OF the "dopes'' such as formalin
are positively hurtful to every user. 1t
is altogether likely that many milk
men use these preservatives not know
ing that they are hurtful. or taking
they are not. but that in nc way gives
| back to patrons the health. possibly
the life. lost through using the milk.
a year or two ago Il campaign was
waged against the impure water used
by many of the Phoenix dairymen and
| the evil was in large measure cor
rected. Now again come disquieting
stories respecting milk supply which it
IT,
it has been found TO be in other cities.
1t is quite likely that the rumors re
ceive their greatest circulation by
reason of the political complications
| that beset the office of city food in
spector and health officer. However, if
it be true that Phoenix is being
| nursed on d nasty milk bottle it should
| be known and the evil corrected in
be in the saddle.
The first story heard by Republic
! can reporter was that Il certain milk
man left a can OF his best baby food
where Il hog and litter of pigs, by
! diligent efforts tipped it over and
drank d quantity of it, and that two
of the pigs died of formalin poisoning.
| The name of the milkman, however.
was not divulged. But the story was
enough to set train of thought in
motion and DR.. Hughes, former city
health officer. was interviewed. 1t was
| thought that he would be as apt to
| know the weaknesses of the present
| adminiStra ton of the health office as
| anybody if there are any, as well as
having an eye open for the wicked
ness of others whom the city health
officer might have overlooked. DR..
/ Hughes said that he did not believe
there were a half dozen dairymen SELL
! ing milk here who do not use some
kind of a preservative. Asked if he
| thought the city health officer was not
| doing his duty in the line of inspec-
ton he replied that the city health
| officer was getting too small a salary
to be expected to do his duty as the
city was not paying enough money
for Il proper inspection.
That is one side of the story The
| other is given by DR.. Plath, city health
| officer who was interviewed i'll regard
to these reports. DR.. Plath- says that
regardless OF what the city does or does
! not pay him he has regularly inspected
| the milk of every dairyman that he
! has heard of who is selling milk in this
| city. On various occasions he has
found milk that was not up to standard
of richness owing possibly to ice hav-
| ing been put into it to keep it cool and
the ice having melted before the sam
pie was taken, or to removal of some OF
the cream. In these cases, however
the fraud was only that the customer
got little less nourishment for his
money. In every case of the kind the
milkman was warned, promised to