New-York tribune., 1907-10-28
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
PRODUCTION OF PURE MIX.
Some Views of Delaware County Core
spondent on the Subject.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The attitude which The Tribune has taken
in the discussion of the regulation Of the citys
milk supply has been open and fairminded thar
hope the sentiment OF the milk producers may be
expressed in its pages. Many farmers are cord
tally in sympathy with the Board of Healths
aim in endeavoring to secure good milk As
suredIy the method should be that of prohibiting
the sale of unclean. contaminated milk instead OF
Countenancing the doctoring of such milk by pas
teurizaton. However. it is the opinion of many
that if the officers of the Board Of Health had ac-
quanted themselves with the spirit and attitude OF
the farmers TO the extent that they acquainted
themselves with the stables and herds much fric-
tion would have been avoided. The present contest
bids fair to hamper the progress of the campaign
Great improvements in dairy conditions have
been steadily in progress during the last ten years
The educational opportunities Of the farmer were
the institutes and the agricultural papers,
These first called the attention of dairymen to the
contagious nature of tubercular diseases in cattle,
the conditions under which the disease thrived- the
danger of infection through wells and the stable
men. and the wisdom of exterminating the disease
speedily. The state also did much To urge inspec-
tlon of cattle. Another factor in milk cleanliness
has been the inspection and regulations of some
of the large dealers. At any rate. the stables
now generally whitewashed. cleaned daily. better
lighted and aired where formerly existed dingy.
cobwebbed catacombs. uncleanly. foul and stag
nant The way has been paved for continued i'm
provement. which Improvement promised to go
that superior conditions paid.
Just here lies the point of this argument The
Board of Health Is not diplomatic in it's treat
ment of the situation. The farmer IS "ob-
stinate crtter' at worst. Coercion always puts
him his worst II the Board of Health had
first effected an understanding with all the cream
cry plants bOttlng and shipping milk to New York
City TO the effect that only the pure milk was TO
be sent and the unclean was 70 be made at the
creamery into butter, economic pressure would
ha R14rr Ia
shown by analysis carries little Infection from the
milk. As is also known, butter does not net
much profit in the East does the bottled milk
The creameries. by paying more for the pure milk
or as much as they do nOw-and less for the
milk used for butter would be the Board OF
Health's best means OF enforcement. As It Is now
the Board of Health is in a compromising posi-
ton The agitation of the matter has enabled the
already rich retail milk sellers find a good
cuse for raising the price OF milk by the bottle.
while in the country the supply OF milk has noe
been cut of because it did not up to ths
standard. When the truth is out both farmers
and consumers may have a Just cause for COM
plant against the attitude Of the Board OF Health
II is always bad policy TO design a reform so
radical that it never is put into execution.
One closing suggestion is potent. The milk in
spectors ought at least to know much about
daries they do about chemistry. What respect
does the already prejudiced farmer have for the
Board of Health'S injunctiOns when the inspectors
are capable OF breaks" such this: An inspector
recently visited stable. passed approval upon the
whitewashed walls. concrete flooring. ventilation
and health of the herd He stood a last before a
manser, where he noticed that a chew
ing for an unCOmmOnly long length OF time. The
inspector turned to the farmer and said: Here's
something wrong This COW has had nothing put
In her manger since you put her in the stall some
time ago. yet she is chewing The veterinarian
must come 10 examine her" WAL drawIed the
farmer, L calculate the veterinarian would find a
cud was the trouble" A. S. MACDONALD.
Delhi. n. Y, Oct. 20 1897