The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-26
REPORT MADE BY
 HEALTH OFFICER Recommendations Made Re- garding the Milk Supply CONDITIONS 0EPLORABLE pr. Hardness Points Out Need of the City to Improve It's Milk
 Supply and Make
 Tests.

Dr. R. B. Hardness, city health officer, has made a report on the milk supplies and dairies throughout the district which supply milk to Birmingham. The report has been handed Mayor Ward, who will bring 1t to the attention of the City Coun- ell at the next meeting and see if some action cannot be taken to carry out the recommendations of Dr. Hardness.
 Tn part the report is as follows:
 "rhe greatest need at the present is a complete laboratory, with competent officer in charge of 1t. Mys6pinion is that this want can be supplied without add ing to the number of officers employed by the city, and without a material in- crease of expense Our milk supply has long been subject of unfavorable comment, and some time since I ventured the assertion that much of 1t should be excluded from our market. systematic inspection of the Cairies supplying our city with milk has borne this assertion out fully and has revealed deplorable state of affairs inf large number of dairies There are about one hundred dairies supplying Birmingham with milk. This fact alone Is sufficient proof that our supply Is not what 1t should. be. It appears that many persons " ho are too shiftless or ignorant to make a living at other work have undertaken dairy busi- ness This Is not just to the innocent public nor to the intelligent dairymen who are trying to conduct their business properly. The public must be protected by a stricter standard, and those dairy men who do not measure up to this standard must be suspended from busi- ness Milk is one of the necessities of life and no municipal government has done its full duty until 1t has secured for it's citizens a milk supply that is above suspicion. Milk perhaps more than any other article of common diet suffers from unsanitary surroundings. It IS sucn a fruitful culture media for the various bacteria that unless handled with ex- treine care 1t becomes a menace to the public health.
 Need Better Analyses.
 lowing to the fact that the city has never been provided with the taclnties afforded by a good laboratory, the work of milk inspector has been superficial, tests having been made only for adulter- ants and conservatives. and estimates made of solids and fats; no estimates or bacteria have been made, and l regard this as the most important of all. we ought not only to make thorough ex- animation of milk, but feed stuffs. canned and other foods should be systematically examined for adulterants. Recently, in San Francisco, of about thirty speciments of tomato catsup examined, nearly all showed that they had been adulterated. If a person is suspected of having been poisoned a speciment must be sent away for analysis. The city accepts, without ability to question: the statements of the Birmingham Water Works company this company would no doubt be glad to see the city install competent officer who could check their results.
 Tn addition to routine examination of milk and city water all wells in the city should be examined and condemned when found polluted. This. l might say, would generally be the case. All waters shipped Into the city should be submitted to regular examination; all suburban springs that are visited by pleasure par ties, should be examined and condemned when found polluted. The water supply of every dairy should also be required to come up to a high standard"
 Among other recommendations in the report are the following;
 That every dairyman selling milk to the citizens of Birmingham be required to have practical working knowledge of the elements of hygiene.
 Have Clean Wagons.
 That all dairy barns shall be properly flcored. either with cement, or with sound heart boards, and that the interior of every barn shall be given "a coat of whitewash in the months of May and September of each year.
 .'That each dairy be provided with a properly constructed milk house. provid- ed with wire screens for doors and win dows. ample arrangements for heating water and trough for cold water, into which cans shall be set as soon as filed
 "That all milk wagons shall be provid- ed with cover and shall be kept neat and clean That the interior of said wagoas shall be scrubbed with soap and hot water at least twice per week and that the exterior of said wagons shall be kept neatly painted.
 That no milk shall be bottled except at dairy or properly equipped dairy ce- pot; that measures for milk shall be kept, uhan not in use. In properly c0ustruct1d