Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-08

last year distributed 49, 37 bottles of milk
of which 66,O16 were distributed free, the
prices of the other bottles ranging from
one to three cents each. according TO the
amount of milk contained in bottle. An
eight-Ounce bottle is sold for cents. ana
the prices of bottles containing from one
to six ounces of milk are 1 and IL cents
But in many, many cases, as the lnVestlsa-
tons of this society have brought out, not
even these small prices can be paid. Hence
the free distribution when visiting physician
or visiting nurse sends in the necessary
order, that the society may be protected
from the INSCRIPTIONS who ere now nave
tried to obtain milk under various pretenses
with the Interior object of placing 1t on
sale at high prices TO such as can aHoro
to buy Nor, as rule, are those persons
who are able to pay furnished milk WITH
out an order, until after an inVesusa-
ton has been made by some one in author-
ity, preferably physician or nurse.
That these institutions are dong grea.
work in saving the sickly babies OF the
cities is proved by the infant mortality
figures of the cities in which they are To-
Gated and the statistics of mortality among
the little patients of the institutions:
In New York, for example, the estimated
mortality rate for 1904 for all infants one
wear and under was 145 per 1000. Last year
the rate of mortality among the papleS leu
with milk from the sterilizers OF the OLDEST
milk distributing society of the metropolis
was lust a fraction over 10 per LOU, ana
nearly all the babies supplied by this ana
similar organizations are, OF course, one
year and under. And 1t must pc remein-
hered that this gratifying result was OBJ
tanned in a quarter of the city Where tne
conditions are the most adverse possible
to infant life, and where the rate OF lnrahl
mortality at all ages and under ORDINARY
conditions is much greater lhah 'Ai' ioA
the entire city.
Preparing the Milk.
In preparing the milk for distribution the
greatest possible care is taken by those
who have this work in charge
When the cans Of fresh milk, the pest
that money can buy, are received early III
the morning, the superintendent begins the
work of modifying it, according to the for
mulas given her by the physicians "oFAiiis
In conjunction with the depot. For chill
dren below six weeks the formula Is usualy
one part cream, one part milk ana hVe
parts water, with Z per cent OF susai VI
milk. For babies above six weeks anu
under nine months the formula calls Tor
one mart milk and one part water, with
ner cent of sugar of milk; and for oaoies
over nine months the formula is one par
water, three parts milk ana per Gem "
sugar of milk. Then, of course, there are
numerous special formulas to meet the
needs of various babies
THE amount of milk modified on any
given morning, according to the olHerent
formulas, depends on the number and ages
of the children whose names are on the SUI
perintendents book for milk. The records
are scrupulously kept, and as baby out
grows one formula the superintendent takes
cognizance of the fact and so the amounts
of milk variously modified vary constantly,
and 1t Is by no means light task TO inquire
out every morning just how much milk to
modify in this way, or just now much W
modify in that.
After modification the milk is strained
through big glass tunnels lined with ster-
ilized cotton batting, that any sediment
t. fr,tn hot N
varying quantity. From one-half to one
ounce Of milk Is put into bottles for those
tiny patients just born. There are bottles
holding one and one-half two, two and a
half three three and half, four, five, SIX,
seven and eight ounces, for babies running
in age from two, three, four ana SIX weeks
and two, three, four, five and SIX months,
and older. And sometimes there ale DOT
Ties each holding as much as ten ounces
for babies with particularly voracious appe-
tiles.
These bottles are subjected to severe
cleansing process the day before they are
used Immediately they are returned by
the parents of the babies they are filled
and Immersed in strong solution of soda
water. Then, after being allowed to stand
In this solution for sufficient length of
time. they are washed inside, with bottle
brushes, scrubbed outside with hand
brushes rinsed on patent rinsers, and then
placed on dripping boards, where they are
closely inspected by the superintendent or
a trusted assistant. If they pass inspection
they are put into ovens to bake, being ster-
ilized at the high temperature of lao de-
grees Celsius. And while the bottles them
selves receive this treatment. the hard rub
Der corks are soaked in soda water, washed
in clear water, boiled In clear water one
hour. and are then ready to be pasteurized
or sterilized with the milk, as the case
may be.
Rush Begins Early.
Thus, when the milk is bottled and cork
ed and put into the sterilizers of morn
ing. the bottles and corks undergo their
second sterilizing process When the milk
is pasteurized which is the rule, except
in very hot weather, 1t Is kept for twenty
minutes in the sterilizers after the tenn