The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-04-17
MANY MILK
ANALYSES
ASKED FOR

Since the announcement was mahe OF
the deaths Of the Stanley twins, at Al
Hanover street, last Tuesday through
partaklng OF milk I'm which formaldehyde
had been placed. MIX Inspector Scott has
been swamped with requests for analyses
OF milk.
From every part OF the city bottles, jars
and cans have come in from the patrons
OF various milk dealers, and even milk
purveyors who obtain their supplies
from farmers and from the large dairies
in the country have asked for specific in
formation.
While this avalanche OF samples has
necessitated a great deal OF labor, the
bringing in OF the milk has been eneour-
aged. for the action OF the citizens has
given the department a chance 10 get
after the dealers in such way that no
man who is dishonest in the treatment
of milk can hope to entirely escape free-
dom from punishment
Since Mr. Scott was made the milk in
spector. which was in 1901 he has exam
ined 9l,955 samples. or about 5000 each
year.
A complete record.has been made in each
instance and at any time each analysis
can be referred to.
The fact that a milk man or a store
keeper has good milk for sale on one
day counts as nothing for samples are
repeatedly taken and the inspection as
sistants have such way of dropping
upon the dealers that they can never tell
when a call is TO be made.
All sorts of tricks are resorted 20. MIX
taken from, the wagon and found TO be
good is diluted with water after IL is
poured from a can and before IL gets TO
the consumer.
A consumer brought in sample %
milk which was found to have been dosed
with embalnning fluid
The milkman who had delivered the
milk was found to have a clean record.
He was spotted and after while was
caught I'm the act Of putting formaldehyde
into milk that he had placed in a meas
ure.
The offender had a small bottle of for
maldehyde which he carried i'm his pocket.
Slyly he squirted a few drops into the
milk and was about to make a delivery
when an assistant inspector seized the
measure and contents.
Later a fine of $50 and costs was i'm
posed.
Inspector Scott SAYS that formaldehyde
not only acts upon the tissues OF the di-
gestive organs, but also kills the nutri-
tive properties of milk, thus depriving
II of what little value IL may have as an
article Of diet
The consensus Of opinion OF high au-
thorities. representing many parts of the
United States. is that the effect of for
maldehyde in milk is TO kill the germs
which produce fermentation, after the
milk Is taken into the stomach, and thus
prevent digestion, combining with the
nitrogen compounds, or the albumen and
casein. and rendering them indigestible.
The direct action of formaldehyde on
the animal tissues is declared to be some
what the same as alcohol ouiy stronger
hardening the musucular tissues and re-
stricting their activity.
The inference to be drawn from these
opinions IT, that the child who is fed upon
milk adulterated with formaldehyde not
only runs danger of direct injury from
the action Of the drug. but is deprived
in addition TO the nutrition which It
would he able to derive from even di-
luted milk.
The inspector favored an amendment
of the law providing for the Issuing OF
free licenses to the dealers not TO he
revoked unless for cause. such as adulter.
ation of milk or neglect to comply with
sanitary rules adopted by the board OF
aldermen.
The country members of the general
assembly opposed and killed the bill