The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-28
PAPER MILK bottles.
A Sanitary Reform Which Promises
Much

Consumers of milk who have come
to appreciate the value of purity and
freedom from infection will be inter
ested in an idea that originated in
Philadelphia, says the New York
Tribune. Every one who has stud
led the matter carefully knows that
there are several ways in which milk
may become contaminated. If the
dairy farm Is an ideal one, if The fluid
Is promptly cooled, if its temperature
remains low during the period Of
transportation, if the city dealer into
whose hands it passes on arrival is
both honest and intelligent, there still
remains source Of possible mischief.
Some of the milk which is bottled
before distribution may be injured by
n lack of thoroughness in cleaning
the glass reCgptacles after previous
use. 1t is against that particular
piece of careicssness that it is now
proposed to guard by discarding the
present style Of bottle altogether and
replacing it with another, which, like
the cheap wooden plates sometimes
provided for picnics, shall be used
only once. The new bottle is to be
made of heavy paper'o pasteboard,
manufactured out of spruce pulp. DR..
A. H. Stewart, bacteriologist Of the
Board of Health in Philadelphia, con-
Quoted a series of tests with it, and
reports approyingly upon its quail.
ties.
The bottles are stamped out of
heavy three-ply paper, and a cOnical
shape is given to them to facilitate
packing for shipment in nests. The
bottoms have a double thickness,
and their edges are locked in such a
way that pressure from above adds
to their strength. 1t is said that "a
weight of two hundred pounds may
be put on a bottle without crushing
it, The cover is stout, and has pro-
truding lips for convenience in remov-
al. Glue is used in fastening the
overlapping edges of the body, but a
coating of parafflne prevents it from
affecting the taste of the milk and
renders the bottle waterproof. Ster-
liZation by exposure to a temperature
of 212 degrees Fahrenheit is the f.
nal operation to which the receptacle
is subjected. 1t is intended to have
half pint, pint and quart sizes.
Advocates of the new scheme insist
that it possesses many minor advan-
tages. A paper bottle weighs two
ounces, whereas the glass one holding
a quart weighs twenty-four or more.
The carrying capacity of delivery
wagon would be greatly increased
almost doubled, they say-because the
driver would have no old bottles to
collect. The dealer would be sub
jected to no loss through breakage
or the stealing of empty bottles. The
wholesale cost of glass bottles is
about three cents for pints and five
cents for quarts. 1t is estimated
that the paper bottles will cost not
more than So or $40 a thousand, or
not to exceed a cent apiece. In view
of the congregations which are eX-
pected to attend their use, DR.. Stew
art thinks that milk dealers would not
be warranted in raising their prices
in consequence of substituting the
new bottle for the old However, one
important effect which he anticipates
from the innovation, is that the ope-
ration of bottling will be transferred
from the headquarters of the city
dealer to the dairy farm Heretofore
the danger of breaking during ship
ment has been formidable obstacle
to such a change, which is extremely
desirable from sanitary considera-
tions, and possibly that obstacle may
now be removed.
The operation of washing returned
milk bottles is today conducted with
various degrees of thoroughness. In
instances, no doubt, it is well done.
Nevertheless, many shocking stories, |
which probably have good foundation, |
are told about the carelessness of lazy |
drivers of city milk wagons. 1t is |
said that they often refill dirty bottles |
without cleaning them at all. Even |
when the bottles are brought back to |
the milk shop to be reflled, the task |
of preparing them for fresh service is |
of IN performed so negligently 4 It |
they might as well have been 1t |
alCne entirely. Obviously, if a |
bottle is discarded forever after do : |
duty once, there cannot be any I.sk
to health from this source.