The Washington times., 1910-10-26

Pennsylvania, where there is no tuber-
cultn test requirement.
Calves Are Sold.
zone reason there IS a shortage OF
milk is that there probably is a short
age of dairy cows in this neighborhood.
This, I believe, is due to the recent high
prices Of veal Calves have brought
such a high figure for several years
that many farmers have undoubtedly
been selling them rather than raise them
as mixers. This condition, however, is
not limited to this section I think it is
general throughout the country.
Another cause for shortage Of milk at
this time Of gear is that farmers breed
their cows to come fresh late in the fall,
so that they will give the greatest vol
ume Of milk in the winter when prices
are better. The unusual drought has
merely made what we might call the
normal. fall shortage more acute this
year.
''Th4 charge. in the face Of these con-
ditioIs, that the regulations Of the Dis
trict Health Department are responsible
for the milk shortage, and particularly
that the tuberculin test order Is respOD-
sible for it, must, on its face. be admit
ted to be without foundation.
More Shippers
DR. Woodward took up the charge that
the number Of farmers shipping milk
into the District had been declining, Civ
ing particular attention 10 the state
ment that they had gone from $50 10 50.
He showed by the records Of his office
that the number Of applications for per-
mission 10 ship milk has been steadily
increasing, that the number Of shippers
has been steadily increasing. and that
the number Of cows that supply milk for
the District has been steadily increasing.
Instead OF there being now eighty
shippers, as charged, there arc 1.106,
who are sending milk from 1853 COWS.
Representative Of the retail dealers
have charged that the milk laboratory
OF the District Health Department had
been established and maintained In yio-
latiOn of law. on this point Dr. Wood
ward said:
This charge is absolutely without
foundation. The laboratory was es-
tablisbeC twelve years ago by act Of
Congress for the purpose Of permitting
US TO IGske necessary reSe3rche con-
cerninG contagious diseases. Before eS-
tablishing the laboratory I asked the
Treasury Department for an opinion as
TO whether the law and appropriations
authorize he laboratory and the en-
ployment OF a bacteriOlogist I was
assured that they did. The work was
confined TO contagious diseases, until
Congress, by specific statute, gave US
authority TO use the laboratory for milk
work.
Open and Above Board
The establishment Of the laboratory
and it's operation have been open and
above board, all bills have been audited
and expenditures scrutinized and au-
thOrized by the Treasury Department"
another charge against the Health
Department was that the butter fat re-
Quirement is too high. being 81 per
cent. Representatives Of the retailers
declared II difficult, even with pure
milk from good herds, 70 comply with
this law. Answering this DIT. Wood
ward said:
The butter fat requirement Of the
District is high, but no dealer has ever
been hurt by II. Our practice is not
to prosecute man merely because his
milk falls below 81 per cent OF butter
fat If it Is usually above ga he is not
prosecuted L II falls below 3 he Is
prosecuted. but II he only occasionally
goes below 81 he is not prosecuted.
If a series of tests shows the dealer
is deliberately trying just 10 keep above
we find he IS just trying 10 escape
prosecuion-we prosecute him"
Tuberculin Test.
Representatives of the retail dealers
have charged the1 DR.. Woodward has
no authority in law for his order de-
handing the tuberculin test for herds
that supply the District with milk. In
reply to this the Health Officer quoted
the milk law. as follows:
The Health officer shall issue a per
NIT 10 ship milk into the District when
he is satisfied that the milk can be
brought into the District without dan
ger to public health"
Under this, DR.. Woodward said, he
clearly had authority to require the
tUberculin test before issuing a per
NIT. That is, he said, ii has been
demonstrated beyond possibility of
successful dispute that the tuberculin
test is reliable, and when used and
observed Il will clean out tuberculous
cattle. II has been demonstrated
further that milk from tuberculOus
cows is dangerous to public health, and