The San Francisco call., 1904-07-20
DIARIES AND PUBLIC HEALTH.

IT HE attempt of the San Francisco Board of Health
to make sanitary the dares that supply milk the
people OF this city is responsible for a threat by
certain darymen to increase the price of milk to twenty
cents quart If they compelled to conform TO the
regulations of the board At the same time these dairy
men aver that they willing to comply with all rea-
sonabe rules and provisions may be devised to keep
milk wholesome and t to be consumed 1t safe to say
that the threat to double the price will be carried out
under any circumstances. When an advance was made
in the cost to the consumer months ago. families
curtaed their quantity for daily practically pro-
hbitive price will throw into disuse at least partly
plants of large SIZE and capital invested locally in dairy
cows and dairy equipments will be, considerable ex-
tent, dead money
There can certainly be Justification for threat to
c1nch customers 100 cent unless it be clearly
shown that the of production will be doubled when
sanitary conditions enforced At any hazard health
the first consideration The State Board of Health has
recently reported that per the deaths in Cali
forna are and that they be to
bad milk The connection between bacteria and diseases
of deadly effect is too clearly established to be open to
reasonable questioning In legitimate precautions for
the preservation of the lives and health of the people
the health authorities ought be upheld by every good
citizen The Health Board appointed for the purpose
and draws pay from the citizens to safeguard their
homes by compelling hygenc conditions, and such Off
cias have other for taking salaries derived
from taxation.
What public sentiment effect for the general good
manifested forcbly at Seattle this immediate time
The dares in the country surrounding Seattle dis
covered to be filthy and be conducted in sloveny
way with regard for anything except direct profit to
the dairy A popular outcry occasoned. At
first the parties who supposed be responsible for
the making of proper analyses of milk declined
change has been wrought. The King County Medical
Society has been stirred action and has just made
report.
found that all the dairies supplying milk to Seattle
filthy. Samples OF milk from thry-sx dares have
been examined Each contained multitudes of germs
of disease Judged from the lowest acceptable standard
of purity fully twohrds of the milk furnished Seattle
unfit for According the standard adopted in
Boston, Seattle receives absolutely good milk The
majority of the methods of Pasteurization employed in
Seattle farcical for neciency Dirty is used
to aduterate the milk
The King County Medical Society has therefore sub
mtted recommendations for ordinance govern the
and sale of milk in Seattle Very likely this ordi
nance will be fought by the dairymen of King County
whose willingness comply with health rules may be
estimated by their neglect of all such rules in the past
The question of reasonabeness in the formulation of
regulations this regard should be judged only from
the standpoint of efficiency protect the children the
valids who compelled to have milk diet and the
1t in then profession know what conduces and
what Injuries health To leave the question to laymen
and to reach a compromise" based on any ground
other than the welfare of the public is sin against the
community