The Washington herald., 1907-07-12
MILK A MENACE TO HEsLTH
Conditions Of Industry Supplying
Local Consumers Scored.
Report of Board of Investigation of
Hospital Service Finds Many
Bad Features.

That the present conditions governing
the milk industry in the District Of Co.
lumbia are a menace 10 the public health
is the conclusion reached in the report
of the board of investigation OF the Pub
lie Health and Marine Hospital Service,
which consists Of Dr. NJ. J. Rosenau, di-
rector Of the hygienie laboratory; Dr.. ].
II. Kastle, chief of the division Of chem
istry. and DIT. L. L. Lumsden, passed as
sistant surgeon. The investigation covers
tae milk business from the farm 20 the
consumer, and points out a number Of
instances Of lack Of care in the produc-
ton and distribution OF the commodity.
Much Of the milk sold IN the District.
it is said, Is not handled with intelligent
or proper care. and, unless this condition
of affairs IS corrected. 1t must remain a
menace 10 the public health. not only
from the standpoint Of typhoid fever. but
also diphtheria, scarlet fever, and other
complaints.
With regard 10 ice cream. the report
states that It is admitted that the worst
water Is often used in making this del
icacy. which Is manufactured and handled
under the poorest possible sanitary condi-
tons Numerous instances Of the lack
Of cleanliness. aud Of carelessness Of en-
pioyes are noted.
The location OF diaries in the District is
also criticised as follows:
Diaries are usually situated on the
first floor; sometimes in dingy easements
or cellars. Some of them are IN poor sani-
tary condition, others fair; a few were in
fine order AT the time Of inspection.
The location OF most OF the dairies IS
pernicious. so far as general sanitary sur
roundings are concerned. Many OF them
are situated near squalid settlements or
about on unkempt alleys. Close relation
between almost all diaries and stables has
already been referred to.
There are a large number Of small pur-
veyors OF milk IN the District Through
a technicality in the law these small
places mostly small corner stores. while
subjected 10 inspection are immune 10 the
general sanitary requirements OF the
health department The conditions under
which the milk Is kept and retailed In
some of these places can better be i'm
agined than described. In some instances
We found small grocery stores selling q
cents worth Of milk from bottles or cans,
while upstairs or in an adjoining room
typhoid fever cases were being treated
The same hands that cared for the sick
dispensed milk. Flies passed freely from
the sick room 70 the store. and the
chances Of conveying infection from the
patient to milk and other articles sold in
the store were favorable.
The great bulk of the milk offered for
sale in the District Of Columbia during
the summer would have been considered
adulterated according to the sanitary code
Of New York, and would have been ex-
Guided from sale according TO the health
regulations of the CITY Of Boston on ac-
count Of the temperature alone
In addition to being old and warm.
much of the milk sold in Washington is
dirty. Fifty-one Of the III samples ex-
amlned showed no visible deposit in the
original container after several hours
standing Fifteen of the samples con-
tanned a very small amount Of dirt. IS
contained a small amount Of dirt, s con-
tanned much dirt, and / contained
(mouseD feces.