The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-09-21
DR.. DIXON DEFENDS
DAIRY FARMERS
Declares MiIk Often Becomes PUl-
luted After Leaving Their
Hands on Way to Con-
Sumer.
SANITARY LAWS ARE BROKEN

Don't let's put too much blame on
the farmers" says State Health Com
missioner Dixon In discussing the
question of a pure milk supply, a
problem that Is troubling 80 many
municipalities throughout Pennsylva.
MIA
"As an old farmer myself who has
led the reapers around the wheat
field, swinging a cradle and then In
the evening milking my share Of the
cows, am naturally favorable to the
dairy farmer, but It is the close study
of actual conditions that convinces me
that the first disease germs often, per.
haps most frequently, get into the milk
after it has passed out Of the farmers
control.
"The farmer appreciates more today
than ever the necessity of keeping
milk clean. He knows that If II
reaches the market sweet and pure
the demand will be increased. He is
up against a difficult task to make
money out of his milk dairy when he
has to constantly buy new cattle to
take the place of those that have
gone dry, become sick or died.
Dairyman's Problems.
"He must produce or purchase food
for them, keep up the stable, pay his
help, constantly replenisn his supply
of pans, buckets, ETC., and haul this
milk over all kinds of roads, through
all sorts of weather and then receive
for all this or Az cents a quart from
the dealer.
THE milk often begins to receive
pollution on the railroad, when an at.
tendant takes off the lid of a milk can,
helps himself to a drink and then re
places the lid, drippings of milk which
have reached his lips going back into
the can.
Does this sound like an exaggera-
ton? Let me cite you a case. re
member a baggagemast9 who once
called upon me for medical advice.
found him suffering with pulmonary
tuberculosis. When l advised him to
drink plenty of milk he informed me
that he was drinking a great deal OF
1t. He said he hauled milk in his bag
gage car and that he was in the habit
Of drinking cut Of the lids Of the canc
"At the stations and along the
streets the milk dealers often purchase
from each other. The purchaser sticks
his finger into the milk and then into
his mouth to determine the sweetness
and then into the second can until he
tests as many cans of milk as he pro,
poses purchasing.
unsanltary Methods.
"Only a few days ago a gentleman
came into my office to tell me he had
just witnessed his own milk man hand
street cleaner a drink of milk con
tanned in the lid of his can and then
replace the lid.
81 have witnessed over and over
again milk men collect bcttles from
their customers, poke the index finger
in the mouth of one and the thumb
in the other to carry the bottles to his
wagon. Trusting that they had been
! properly cleansed by the housewife
the bottles were at once refilled, caps
taken out of a pocket which also con-
tanned a handkerchief and then these
! bottles of milk were delivered to the
next customers. It is not worth while
to enumerate other instances to make
my point clear, that is, we must not
confine ourselves to the dairy farm
In looking for conditions that render
milk impure. Our municipalities
throughout the state will have to keep
their eyes open to the way in which
the dealers and others are handling
the milk after 1t has left the farmers
care"