New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-03
MIXES In MILK
APPOINTS COMMISSION.
Wants Investigation Independent of
Health Department.

Mayor Mcclellan has at last decided to take
the pure milk question out of the hands OF his
official advisers The conflict of opinion was
so great that he decided yesterday TO appoint
a commission OF five presumably dlsinterested
experts to examine the question pro and con,
and, to judge from the Mayors feelings at this
time. he intends 20 abide by the commissions
decision. The many public discussions have al
ready simmered the matter down 10 pasteuriza-
ton. II inspection should not prove adequate.
the Health Commissioner having convinced
those interested that with larger force OF in
spectors he could improve the milk supply vast
ly. and acceding that IL inspection should fall
short Of the meteorological test then pasteuriza-
ton should prevail,
Now, in steps the Mayor He issued the fol-
lowing statement yesterday:
In view OF the recent discussion on the sub
!ect OF New York City's milk supply. have to-
day, on my own responsibility and with a view
to settling authoritatively this very Important
matter, appointed a commission OF five mem
bers TO look thoroughly into the entire subject
and recommend what steps. If any. are neces
sary TO insure the city an abundant supply OF
absolutely pure milk 1 have been fortunate
enough TO secure the consent OF the following
men TO serve on this commissions
Joseph ID. Bryant, NJ. D.. former president OF
the Board of Health; T. Mitchell Prudden.
NJ. D., bacteriolOgiSt; Rowland G. Freeman
NJ. D.. milk expert. and L. Emmett Holt. NJ. D..
and Abraham Jacob, NJ. D. specialists in the
diseases OF children
The work Of this commission will DO entirely
Independent of the Departent Of Health or any
other city department. A meeting OF the COM
mission viii be held at an early date
These men. with the exception Of DR.. Free
man. are on the advisory board of the Health
Department. Among them Drs Bryant and
Prudden have not recently expressed an opin-
ION on the question. They favor pure milk, as a
IlT
spection' as does also DIT. Holt, and each has
been striving for pure milk for this city. DR..
Jacob mas been quoted by those in favor Of
pasteuriZation at all hazards as a champion
OF their cause. but they have been in some
measure contradicted by the other side But
each OF these commissioners Is, so far as his
former expressions are concerned most sincere
~ IN IaVor OF one thing above everything else
pure milk supply for this city
The situation has thus been changed Il will
not matter what ordinance the Board Of Alder
men may pass. The hearings OF the health
committee OF the board will not necessarily
bear weight with the Mayor. His commission
viii decide the pure milk question for him.
Any ordinance passed by the board will have To
be approved by the commission before it will
receive the Mayors approval
II was admitted among the heads of depSrt-
ments yesterday that by the appointment Of
this commission the Mayor was establishing q
precedent which might prove rather demorallz-
ing TO them. IL was also admitted that the full
particulars OF the discussion OF the milk ques-
ton as presented I'm The Tribune had convinced
the Mayor that there might be more TO the mat
ter than his advisers were willing to admit or
make public Hence the commission. II was
also said that II was rather queer that tho
Mayor had not asked Nathan Straus to servo
on the commission.
Incidental TO this one of the city officials
showed a series of diagrams TO a reporter for
The Tribune, embOdying his researches for sew
eral years among the statistics OF diseases among
children. Among them was chart which ex-
hibited a surprising mortality among children
below five years of age for the warm months OF
the year, beginning about the middle OF June
and lasting well into October. The mortality,
which Jagged along line of comparative I'M
munity from intestinal diseases among the chill
dren from the first OF the year until June, took
a sudden leap each year which had distinct
epidemcal character.
Last year, owing to the wabbly character of
pronounced. although the deaths during the
warmest week among the children in the city
was 335 In 1905, for the corresponding week
in July the deaths were 500, and the year before
4S5 AS this official said, such record from
any other disease would have caused a panic
among the residents. He attributed the intes-
final disease and the mortality entirely to the
rate was greatest where nOn-pasteurized milk
was in use. Mr.. Straus. this man said. had in
his districts prevented such relatively appali-
ing showing.
With the Mayor taking personal interest i'm
q practical way, the Board OF Aldermen IN touch
with the demands OF the milk situation and the
Health Commissioner working 10 secure a pure
supply OF milk, il can be reasonably supposed
that a supply of milk as pure as care and
science can make il will be secured Further
more, whatever ordinance the Board OF Alder
men may agree upon win not become law
without the scrutiny and subsequent approval
Of the Mayors milk commission