Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-21
PROPOSED MILK LAW
HEARING GIVEN BY MEMBERS OF
HOUSE DISTRICT COMMITTEE.
The Stewart Bill, Recently Passed by
the Senate, Considered and a
Substitute Suggested.

A hearing was given by the ways and
means subcommittee of the House commit
tee on the District of Columbia this morn
ing on the bill which passed the Senate
a few days ago designed to secure sanitary
milk and cream for the District. The Dill
was framed by Senator Stewart, who was
present at the hearing before the House
committee this morning. There were also
present Drs. E. NJ. Kober and u. t. Sewers
of the Medical Society of the District OF
Columbia, Mr.. Alvord of the dairy division
of the Department of Agriculture Mr. G. e.
Gordon of the Walker-Gordon laboratory,
Mr.. Corbin Thompson and DR.. w. c. Wood
ward the health officer of the District
Representative Allen of Maine. chairman Of
the subcommittee, presided.
The Health Officers Views.
Health officer Woodward spoke at some
length on the milk laws and regulations
now in force and explained the manner in
which they are carried out through the
health department. He told of the duties
of the various inspectors and veterinarians
employed by the department. but declared
that the present laws did not go quite Tar
enough and that some such legislation as
that contemplated by the Stewart bill is
badly needed. DR.. Woodward said, how
ever. that the Stewart bill as it passed the
Senate does not cover the subject as well
as the department, and the District Com
missioners would desire. There are some
defects in the bill which need remedyinS
and some provisions, it is claimed, do not
go far enough. He said that the purpo'r
of the bill is good but he was afraid that
the number of offices created and the APP
preparation made necessary to pay the sal
aries allowed would bring about opposition
to the measure in the House of Represen-
tatives. where appropriations for the Dis
trict are so closely watched. The Dill
provides for board of milk inspection
and carries salaries aggregatng S24,SO0.
One of the most important provisions OF
the bill is that which allows to the health
department or the board of milk INSPECTION
the services of bacteriologiSt DIR. Wood
ward urged that this feature be retained,
for he thought that much good would come
of it. a archaeological examination Of
milk will quickly determine whether or
not the fluid has been properly handled.
Bacteria in Milk.
The committee was very much interested
in the statement made by DIR. Woodward
that sometimes there are more than mil
lion bacteria in a cubic centimeter of milk.
Asked how much cubic centimeter was
DR.. Woodward replied that 1t was about
quarter of teaspoonful.
DIR. Kober stated to the subcommittee
that the Stewart bill had never been re-
ferred 20 the District Commissioners for
examinat ton and report, and he suggested
that the committee do so.
Mr.. Corbin Thompson, one of the dairy
men present, objected to this. He said
that the men engaged in the milk business
had appeared before the Commissioners
a number of times and before the Senate
committee He thought that the matter
should be disposed of at this time. Mr.
Gordon made a plea that the milkmen
might be heard further. File said it was
unfair to impose police regulations upon
a body of men like the milk dealers of the
city without giving them an opportunity to
be heard fully.
DIR. Woodward said to the committee that
a bill apparently satisfactory to every
body and heartily approved by the dairy
men was drawn up during recess of Con-
gress and was submitted with the hope
that it would be adopted without agitation
and that the matter would be satisfacto-
riiy disposed of for all time. Much to his
UP by the congressional committees many
of the dairymen who had approved 1T at
the District building appeared At the Cap
itol and objected to everything In the
measure save the periods.
The subcommittee suggested that Dr.
Woodward prepare a substitute bill which
would express the ideas of the Commission
ers and the health department to be ap-
proved by the District committee of the
House. Chairman Allen thought that IL
the House passed a substitute bill for the
from the two branches of Congress could
frame a measure that would be satisfac-
tory to all parties. The subconmitte was
unanimous in the opinion that milk legisia-
ton was needed in this session of Con-
gress.