Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1906-04-27
CONCERNING OUR
MILK SUPPLY

A communication has been received
at this Office signed "DaiIyman,
which approves the action taken by
the authorities to promote good SANTA
tion by securing an analysis of river
water, perfecting sewerage, ETC., but
which suggests the advisability of the
board of health examining another
source of contagion, which has ap-
parently been overlooked. Reference
is made to the milk supply of the
town, which, as is we'll understood, if
not scrupulously clean and pure, is apt
to prove a potent cause of typhoid
fever and other diseases. Inasmuch as
the writer is dairyman the views ad-
vanced, as they relate to milk, especi-
ally, ought to have much weight. Th
communication reads in part:
''As everyone knows the only diet
given to person suffering with fever
is milk. Let us consider what might
happen if the milk given the patient
is not of the best and the purest quail
ity, Assuming that the COWS are
healthy, is it not most frequently the
| case that the COWS are confined in
dark, filthy, unventilated stables?
Amid such surroundings is it not to be
supposed that deadly bacteria, which
lurk in such places, will be introduced
into the milk? The bacteria increase
with wonderful rapidity and by the
&Ia l. H.
ent it is laden with deadly poison and
| the poor weak patient, whose only hope
! of life is in the sustenance he gets
from the milk, is required to partake
of actual poison. Now, the honest con-
scientious dairyman will see to it that
his stables and their surroundings are
clean and sanitary, but how about the
milk he purchases from other people?
| Is he always careful to visit these
farms to ascertain if the stables are
clean and sanitary and consequently
| whether the milk is all that it should
be?
''1n what better way can disease be
carried from house to house than by
| bottled milk? Does anyone suppose
that the dairyman disinfects every bot
| tie each time it is returned? Is it not
put in the case with the other bottles
and washed by the dairyman in the
usual way? The next day the bottles
are all filed and distributed, as they
happen to come, to the patrons on the
route. The bottle that came from the
| fever-stricken home goes into some
other home and in short time anoth-
er case of typhoid fever is reported.
| "We have considered the possible
sources first, but there is another rea-
son why the health authorities should
inquire into the dairy supply, Every
month the dairy and food department
sends out book containing the names
of persons who have violated the law
| by adulteration of milk and other food
supplies. AS we know Danville has
not been quite innocent in the past
and who is sure as to the present sup
| ply? Last year the agent did not test
the milk sold in Danville and it is not
likely that he will come this summer
unless somebody requests the depart
| ment to make a test Consumers are
very willing to patronize a dairyman
| whose milk is slow to turn sour in
warm weather, yet nature never in
tended milk to keep sweet longer than
| a certain time. Beware of milk or
cream that keeps sweet in warm
weather-it is 'doctored Why should
not Danville follow the example of
other towns and require test of the
milk once every month? The Babcock
test costs but small amount and the
test can easily be made. Thus the con-
| sumner would know whether the milk
is honest in it's weight and above or
below the standard. All honest dairy
men would hail such an examination
| with pleasure.
| DAIRYMAN.