Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-12
MILK BY CONTRACT
Commissioner Vests Sug-
gestion Approved.
BIDS TO BE INVITED
MATTER DELAYED UNTIL MR.
WEST RETURNS.
Milk Commission Sends Communica-
ton to Commissioners Which Has
Important Bearing.

who Is in charge of the property clerks
office, that hereafter all milk furnished the
District institutions shall be under con-
tract upon bids for which specifications
shall be prepared in the property clerks
Office. The matter may be held, however,
until the return of Commissioner West at
the end of the month, in view of commu-
nfcation handed to Commissioner Macfar-
land today by DIR. ]. H. Mccormick on be-
half of the milk commission of the Medical
Society of the District of Columbia. The
effect of the adoption OF the suggestions OF
the milk commission would raise the price
Of milk somewhat. and therefore will have
to be considered in that aspect as well as
with regard to considerations Of health.
The letter of the milk commission is as
follows:
In view of the contemplated action Of
your honorable board in requiring hereafter
that all milk furnished to District institu-
lions shall be by contract based upon Spect-
fications prepared in your Office, have the
honor to suggest a member Of the milk
commission of the Medical Society of the
District of Columbia that said specifications
contain the provision that all milk fur
nished said institutions shall be up to tho
standard required by said milk commission
of the Medical Society of the District Of
Columbia, and that all such milk furnished
shall be duly certified by said commission.
Purpose OF Comm1LCee.
1.-The milk commission Of the Medical So
ciety of the District of Columbia was es-
tablished for the purpose OF affording con-
sumers higher standard of milk than has
usually been possible to obtain under exist
ing conditions. Briefly the requirements are:
That the milk shall be clean and whole
some: shall contain not less than three and
one-half per cent of fat be free from all
q mi l11 7Ar md ntoiyo mot hon
twenty thousand bacteria of any kind to
the cubic centimeter. Milk Of this standard
will be certified by the milk commission of
the Medical Society Of the District of CO.
lumbia being proper for consumption
either by healthy individuals or by the sick.
AS large proportion of the milk furnished
the institutions under your care Is designed
for the sick or for those who by reason of
their physical condition have more less
impaired and enfeebled digestions it Is not
only eminently proper. but l respectfully
suggest that 1t is your duty as public off,
Gals charged with the care of such persons
to to 1t that the very best possible
standard is afforded. as otherwise the
health of the inmates is liable to become
impaired.
Where supplies are furnished on con-
tract by the lowest bidder the keen COM
petition necessary in order to obtain the
contract results in low prices. which serves
as temptation to the contractor to fur
nish the article below the standard set by
the specifications in order to make an ade-
quate profit. This is especially true where
no inspection of the material Is required
In the case of milk furnished District in
situations by contract 1t is impracucable to
have uniform inspections except in the
manner suggested, as simple ocular inspec-
ton is in no sense test OF the purity OF
the standard of the milk. The inspection
and certification as given by the milk COM
mission will also remove any suspicion of
collision as to quality on the part of the
contractor and the officials in charge of
the several institutions and Will thus re-
move one of the sources of possible malad-
minfstratiOn-
Suggested Procedure.
1.-THE procedure to be adopted for the
certification of milk is as follows:
Amy dealer in milk whether producer
or simply a purveyor of 1t who desires the
milk which he handles to be certified en-
tiers into a contract with the milk commits
sion of the Medical Society of the District
of Columbia. whereby he undertakes to
comply with the requirements of said COM
mission and said commission undertakes to
supervise the production and sale of the
milk which he handles and TO furnish prop
er seals to be used In connection with the
receptacles in which such milk Is marketed.
The producer or dealer Is required to pay
an amount which 1t Is estimated will be
sufficient to defray the cost of the inSpec-
ton: it is not intended that the commits
sion itself or the individual members of 1t
will make any profit whatsoever out of the
transaction-the members OF the commits
sion receiving no compensation for their
services. The seals to be furnished by
the commission. which will be copyrighted.
will show to the purchaser that the milk
contained in the receptacle il Of proper
quality. If dealer ordinarily furnishing
certified milk should deliver to a consumer
milk not bearing the usual seal the con-
sumner may at once know that the milk Is
not from the proper source and should re-
jo,f In of for hot
tificates will be issued only in quantities
sufficient to cover the product of the cattle
actually inspected, there will be a very
small possible margin within which there
will be any inducement for the dealer to
substitute milk from improper sources.
Authority Of Commission.
THE supervision exercised by the milk
commission is follows:
From the funds paid by the producers
and dealers the commission will pay from
time to time need be for the services of
| a veterinary surgeon. a Psychologist and
a chemist. The first of these will inspect
| the dairy farm. studying its general SAM
| tary condition. and especially the condition
of the cattle The chemist will make such
chemical analysis of the milk and of the
water supply used in connection with the
production and handling of the milk as may
| be necessary. He will also super
wise the sanitary condition of the premises
| terioiog1st will determine from time to time
| the number Of bacteria in the milk and de-
termine also the presence or absence of
| dfease producing varieties. These inspec-
| tons will be made not less often than once
| a month Each month, If the inspections
have been satisfactory. the producer or
| dealer will be supplied with seals sufficient
! for his use for the coming month which he
| VIII be at liberty to use during that period
unless the inspection of the premises or the
| chemical or meteorological examina tons of
| the mflk should prove unsatisfactory, In
| which case his right to use such seals will
| upon notice from the milk commission
1 cease.
Largely Preventive.
| 1T will be seen that the aim Of the milk
commission will be largely preventive The
work Of the health department in connec-
| ton with the production and sale of milk
| Is. In view of its relatively limited force and
| funds. largely corrective. The work of the
| milk commission will not, however, replace
| the work Of the health department but will
| be supplemental to II and therefore, the
| milk bearing It's seal may be regarded as
certainly of a superior quality.