New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-25
MILK COST QUESTION.
Committees At WORK.
Pasteuri2ation and Inspection Fla
rored bv Different Sides.

Korea Oy D9N eFeHt O0doS'
In the struggles for pure milk FOR this city It
has come down 10 estimate OF the COST 10 tne
dairymen. handlers and consumers II Is certain
that large percentage Of the consumers are VIII
ing 10 pav more for their supply II It's purity IS
Guaranteed There g. however. a numerous milk
consuming contingent that cannot afford to pay
fancy prices and it IS 10 protect them. II pos
sibe that the crusade for general pure supply
is being waged.
II should be remembered, as one OF those inter
ested in this campaign from philanthropic pur-
moses said recently that milk is food supply
that almost unlike any other IS Of universal use.
There are about million families in greater
New York and not one Of these can very wen
get along without milk The poorer these families
are the more likely IS milk 10 be a necessary for
food among the younger members. A life Is a me-
said this man, and trite the expression may
be said to have been, at the same time, as was
pointed ont in this instance and It has been
pointed out for good many centuries, mother
on the East side is sure to place the same value
upon her babe as one whose condition is Ear su-
l,erior from a social and pecuniary point OF view
The whole matter was narrowed down ey TINS
phianthropist TO the question; is II more eH-
pensive TO procure pure raw milk than pasteuTized
and II not more expensive, which is moro TO be
relied upon?"
The piilanthropic element IN this contest Is busy
getting figures to show that pasteurization as a
municipal enterprise VIII not be more expensive
than inspection. DR.. Thomas Darlington, the
Health Commissioner. has had practical assurance
from the Board Of Estimate and Apportonment
that he viii get the s2o.00o necessary TO increase
his corps OF inspectors TO the efficient number.
This corps viii compel dairymen in this state and
in all states that send milk this city 10 keep
their daries in hygienic condition aud to use only
healthy COWS. This latter conpulsion will prove
10 be great expense TO dairymen. but when
al computations have been made it will be found
that the expense Will not weigh in the balance
rTvfff7 he rpel
The committee on the prevention Of tuberculosis
OF the Charity Organization Society has sent out
a statement giving figures regarding the cost TO
the dairymen during the last year in the elTnina
tion Of tuberculous cattle. This committee COM
prises among its members DR.. Thomas Darlington.
the Health Commissioner; DR.. Hermann N Biggs,
the medical adviser of the Board of Health; DR. L.
Emmett Holt the boards meteorological expert;
DR. A. Jacob. Dr.. Z. G. Janeway and Or. Lederle.
Among the things this recent publication Of the
committee calls attention to are Tie following:
Taere are approximately 1000 carcasses Of beef
and 5000 carcasses of hogs condemned each year
bescrlosis We should not be lar wrong in estTnai-
g the loss on tlese caIcssses az present prices as
cording 10 tie United states Department of Agri-
annual loss from the condemnation of carcasses
Sii9@9 for beef and $4,000 for pork or total OF
A2Za0@ This statement however, does not IN
cude The 64 parts OF beef careasses ana me ~
year to condemn for the same cause. and the ap-
proNinlat.e value Of which cannot he ascertained
eon5ero15ed IN STATE ana rnilnjeIpai inspeciors
These are mostly carcasses Of dairy cattle killed
in the work Of suppressng tuberculosis or or cows
for slaughter 10 the smaller abattoirs The ag-
gregaIe number Of these has not been aseertained
but in some years Il has amounted 70 several thou
The losses 70 the dairy industry from tuberculosis
have been enormous from decrease in milk and
depreciation and death Of animals. The dairy
5bTosei1 tie COWS of herd Tn,i n =, 81 reT cent
q 8 n m al n az ted n 10
Of the disease the product Of the cows is not
veiops lie animals often become feverish their
milk is diminished in quantity and they lose flesh
and are no longer profitable The loss from
srinsage OF the milk and from the destruction Of
80 many COWS must he tremendous but It has
An extremely serious phase OF this subject IS the
DrWe5 The TcnTese1,tafiy,a a,j,5ais az such a
strain generally fey in number, and may all
be in herd. Under such circumstances the
introduction cf tuberculosis has often meant the
humiliation of the strain and the blottine out of
the achievements of = lifetime OF toll and study.
and cents, but they less real and no less
serious as an obstacle TO the development Of the
Tie ICES thi .:sa farm Inspection would, Of course
&c large 70 the dairy farmers at the beginning.
,,ss lie 90 ~ Ing ii iitl HuI ldtp
for the cattle would be Jess and less infected II
s estimated by the members Of the Board OF
two years the loss to the dairy farmer would be
inconsiderable. Inspection would induce greater
man Of cattle. by the latter in the subsequent
care Of his herds IN individual instances and also
in the conditions under which they would 10
housed ana The milk gathered. Inspection would
compel maximum Of care. where at present
there il IN many instances a downright criminal
Indifference on the part o. the farmer who does
not fear control.
Inspection, it is claimed is really not an argu-
ment against REORGANIZATION. II is simply added
security against the contamination Of a supply
upon which millions depend and upon which The
welfare Of many hundreds OF thousands children
depends. The cost Of municipal pasteuTzation Is
still en- enigma The machinery in itself woGlt
not very much. The care # the machinery
its operation and the incidental expense Of co
operation with the dealers IN this city question.
that experience would have 10 answer.
There is a great milk distributing concern II
this city opposed 10 pasteurization. II demands Z
certain standard Of cleanliness among The dairie.
supplying il. and care Of the cattle. For practi
caly a minimum price il supplies by far the ma
joTity Of the consumers OF milk in this city witt
Its supply Its officers believe IN city inspection
and quote numerous authorities 10 prove that pur,
raw milk he secured through inspection
herds and conditions under which they are housed
without appreciably increasing the cost Of tn
milk 10 the general consumer The whole cues
ten IS in the process If thrashing out and by tn
time the health committee of the Board Of Alder
men meets this week. all practical informa tiol
should be IN the hands Of its members.