The Washington herald., 1907-05-19


ditions and possibilities on dairy farms.
who conduct the examinations.
Certified MIX Helps Some.
Your committee Is aware. says the re-
pert, that even with such precautions
accidents are liable 10 occur. but 10 IN
sist upon inspection Of the COW before
each milking might very justly be charac-
terlzed as unreasonable and as a fad of
theorists.
Certified milk Is reasonably safe, but
this Is no guarantee that It may not oc-
casionally contain germs Of disease, and
those who desire TO guard against this
slight risk should pasteurize it In the
home.
1T must be apparent that It viii re-
quire time and education TO secure COM
pliance with even reasonable safeguards,
and IT is equally evident that the num-
Der OF dairy farms now In a position 10
live up TO sanitary requirements will sup
ply but a small percentage Of the popu-
lation. although it is hoped that they viii
be stimulated into existence by trade COM
petition and the refusal Of tie public 10
buy dirty milk at any price. Until this is
accomplished the committee, In the inter
est of public health. strongly advocates
Qualification and pa5teUrization of all
milk, this. to be sure. will not make bad
milk good. but # will az least destroy It's
power 70 transmit disease germs.
Your committee also believes that this
object can be most efficiently and econom-
ically secured by the establishment Of a
pasteUrizing plant provided by the Dis
trict government, CT preferably by pri-
yate enterprise. which plant should be un-
der the supervision Of the health depart
ment
There Is every argument from a com
mercial and sanitary standpoint IN favor
OF a central plant. erected within reason
able distance from the Union Station.
where all the milk for the city should be
received and prepared for distribution.
milk should never be sold by grocery
stores or milk shops. unless such milk
has been delivered 20 such establishment
in original sealed bottles. and only then
when there IS provision for maintaining
the milk az a temperature OF 90 degrees
Fahrenheit
Patrons Can Protect Themselves.
In conclusion the committee says.
Your committee is so strongly i'm
pressed with the manifold dangers CON
nacted with the milk supply. that until
the needful reforms IN dairy methods are
accomplished. We recommend 90 the pub
lie the following as immediate safeguards.
DO not patr6nize q m#k dealer at
any price. whose milk, after standing fo
two hours. reveals q visible sediment at
the bottom Of the bottle. II is evidence
Of dirty habits. extremely suggestive Of
danger. and entirely prcventable by clean.
decent methods. without greatly increas-
ing the cost.
Subject all your milk TO home pas
teurizauon, by simply bringing II 20 the
boiling point. and after cooling. keep the
milk on ice; this will destroy germ life
and reduce the chances Of milk-borne
diseases 10 r. minimum. and IL We can re
duce our typhoid fever rate even only 10
per cent by this simple method not 20
mention lnfantIle Giarrhoeas and other ln-
fectious diseases. il is clearly our duty 20
do 81.
Your committee recommend that the
results Of the recent Investigations into
the milk supply conducted by the Bureau
Of Public Health and Marine Hospital
Service. the Bureau of Animal Industry,
and the Bureau Of Chemistry of The Agri-
cultural Department with view 0f sup
plementng the work of the health de-
partmeat. which on account Of its limited
force and laboratory fac.iities could not
possibly conduct such an exhaustive iu-
yestieation. be placed 40 tae disposal Of
the Commissioners 0f the District
I'm conclusion your committee recon-
mcuds that until the health department
shall be in control Of q meteorological
laboratory. and q sufficient number of iH-
spoct0rs. that the health officer request
the continuance Of the cooperation of
the Bureau OF Public Health and Marine
Hospital Service, and the Department Of
Agriculture for improving the local milk
supply
Respectfully submitted
GEORGE NJ. KoRER Chairman. EMILE BER-
LINER. DR. g. T. NAGRJpER. DR. O. B..
MASON DIR A. y. NEL1IN. DR.. J. r. MuHL-
ER, DIR n J. RDsENAU. coz r. g. SMITH.
2. Il. WEBSTER