The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-18
NOW 1T is BUTTER
City Would Inspect Product
That Is Sold in Topeka.
Mayor Eillard in Favor of Most
Rigid Regulation.
WATER is 90 PER CENT.
This Is Possible VI ithOut knOWl-
edge. of the Consumer.
DIR. Babb May Make Analysis Of
Dealers Samples.
WATER is 90 PER CENT.

Added to the long list of inspectors,
the city of Topeka is planning on a
butter inspector" His duties would
be to watch the manufacture and the
sale OF butter. both from the dairy
and from the creamery. and see that
the consumers in the city were not
buying adulterated and impure butter.
Mayor Billiard is in favor of it. He
says that the butter sold by some
dealers in Topeka is enough to war
rant instantaneous arrest AND conV1c-
ton. Furthermore, he suggests that
this butter be inspected and the hand
of the law placed on the guilty par
ties-in some cases these parties be-
ing the best firms in the city of To-
peka.
Il don't know whether it would be
practical or not" said the mayor TINS
afternoon, '.but 1 do know that at
times we are getting very poor butter
in Topeka. There should be some
manner or means of prohibiting the
sale OF this kind of butter-and the
inspection of it would solve the prob
lem. I have taken the matter up with
DR.. G. S. Babb, city milk inspector,
but he does not have the time and
assistance to make such an inspec-
tion.''
Two Kinds of Adulterated Butter.
There are two kinds of adulterated
butter sold in Topeka-and In all
cities, as far as that is concerned
rancid and watered. When butter is
rancid it is sickening and is the fault
of the man who sells it. When it is
watered it is liable to be impure as
well as falling below the required
standard in strength and value.
1t is possible to put so per cent
water in butter-and large proper
ton OF the butter sold in this city
may have this large amount of water
included. The state law says that all
butter shall contain less than 16 per
cent water but it is easy to triple
this amount and do it unknowingly
to the consumer. 1t is said that
large amount of this kind of adultera-
ton is being done.
When butter is rancid it is because
it has been kept too long by the deal
er and the result is a bad taste as well
as a sickening odor. Sour butter is
common on the market and the mayor
thinks that there should be some way
of making it pass inspection before
sold
The principal danger in watered but
ter is the fact that the water used
is liable to be impure and unsanitary.
from dug and open wells typhoid and
other germs abound. With butter con-
tanning so per cent of this water
the result to the consumer can be
seen. The law says that all butter
shall have not less than so per cent
milk fat.
DR.. George S. Babb. city milk in
spector, says that an inspection of but
ter by the city would serve to make
the butter makers more careful.
Law Governing Manufacture.
There is a state law governing the
of butter" said DR.. Babb.
at is the duty of the food inspectors
to take care of this feature although I
know that in many cases it is not done
it would take a corps of men to do
it. 1 have not taken any of the but
ter sold in Topeka to my laboratory
for an inspection and do not know
to what extent it is adulterated or
rancid"
The city now has milk inspectors,
food inspectors, meat inspectors, san
itary inspectors, electric light light in
spectors, plumbing inspectors, scale in
spectors, weight and measure inspec-
tors, sewer inspectors, paving inspec-
tors, building inspectors, and a few