Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-18
MRS. EDSON FLAYS
THE CITY CHARTER
Declares 1t Gives Head of Health
Department insufficient
Authority
MILK INSPECTION INADEQUATE
Suggests General Reorganization
of System, with Special Ref
erenCe to tuberculosis

California club women have been
quick to realize that their clubs are
given them, not alone for self culture,
but for the benefit of their cities. Mrs.
Russell j. Waters. in her few words to
the Friday Morning club members
yesterday, spoke of the impression
this fact had made on her during her
recent trip through the southern and
middle western states.
Mrs. Charles Farwell Edison. whose
report as chairman Of the public health
committee, was the feature of yester-
day mornings meeting at the Friday
Morning club, voiced the same senti-
ment.
Her paper reused keen interest, and
at it's close a cordial expression Of
thanks land approval was given her.
Mrs. Edison said that the first essen
tial toward any reform in this work
would be an awakening of interest on
the part of our citizens. She also
said that the present system under
which the board of health operates Is
cumbersome and archaic and that the
work of the health officer is beset with
checks at every step. A situation
which allows the health officer no
authority and every responsibility is
caused to exist by the present city
charter. Although DR.. Powers Is un-
der $40 900 bonds to maintain the pub
lie health he Is without authority in
employing any Of his superintendents
or assistants.
INSPECTION INADEQUATE
Concerning the public milk supply
Mrs. Edison said:
"Our milk ordinances are excellent,
and If we had an adequate force of
veterinarians and inspectors to en-
force them rigidly we would be well
protected and would not now be start
ing a crusade against tuberculous
cows. but our herds would have been
comparatively free from this prevalent
and dangerous disease.
''This city receives milk from 1900
daries, some as far away as San Luis
Obispo. Modesto, Kern, Santa Barbara,
Riverside, Orange and San Diego coun-
ties.
I'VE have now five milk inspectors
to patrol inspect and enforce the laws
governing the production and distrtbu-
ton of milk. They are supposed to in
spect this great district, the creameries,
wholesale distributors and milk depots.
You can draw your own conclusions
as to the possible effectiveness of their
work Some of these men are efficient
and are trained dairy men, but 1t would
take twice as many good men to make
any real impression. We receive in
Los Angeles $50 gallons of double
cream daily that comes from unin-
spected farms. This Is made into but
| ter. Two tons of cream comes in week
| ly from San Luis Obispo. We have no
| CITY veterinarian and no tuberculin
! test that has been made by the city
| for over two years. Without COM
petent veterinarian no tuberculin test
under municipal control can be MADE.
It is impossible to make adequate in
spection or to follow up orders to clean
up with the present small force of
men. The dairy men need not only
orders to clean up; in many cases they
must be instructed. On account OF the
low price of milk paid to producers last
year and the few years previous by
the milk trust, a great many Of the
best dairy men were forced out or
business, leaving many men now sup
plying milk to this city who are ig,-
norant. careless and utterly united
to run a dairy that is not a menace to
the health of the babies, and they are
the ultimate consumers.
SET NEW STANDARD
"Civilization has set a new standard
for what is clean milk and the public
cannot expect to get clean milk at old
prices. The really vital and pressing
| question Is getting the herds rid of the
| tuberculous cows. DR.. Ward B. Row
land, county veterinarian, tells me that
at least 10 per cent of the cows pro-
| ducing milk for the Los Angeles trade
are SO tuberculous that 1t is evident
| to any veterinarian. If the tuberculin
| test were applied probably twice as
many or more would be found IN
| fected.
"Now the danger is great from such
! cattle. Bovine tuberculosis has been
| positively proven to be the cause OF
much tuberculosis in children. Won
Behring says that COW milk ieu Io
| infants is the chief cause of tubercu-
losis in man. Heller says that 40 per
cent of tuberculous children show
primary intestinal infection.
| 1.-THE bovine bacilli is more Virulern
| than the human, and according to the
report of the British royal commission
out of sixty cases Of tuberculosis ex-
amined and tested fourteen proved tc
| he caused by bovine Infection"
The necessity of properly cooling
milk and the crying need of refriger-
ator cars for the transportation of the
milk and cream from distant counties
were two important reforms urged In
the report, and Mrs. Edison concluded
with these words
"rro sum up my paper-the things to
be undertaken Immediately are the re-
| OrRan1ZdIlOH VI LllC llCdlbll NOPoi bifASAAN
more rigid inspection, which will re-
ouire at least two more inspectors, g
| citv veterinarian who shall also be
chief milk inspector, who can enforce
a tuberculin test ordinance. We will
then ask for cool milk, but at present
use your influence with the legislative
committee of the city council for these
additions to the inspectors force. They
are Messrs. Andrews, Betkouski, Greg
orv and Judge Lusk. This is essen
| tiallv a woman's problem and l dc
not believe that much interest can be
created in this question till the women
of this and every American city thor
oughlv understands how near hel
household is to city politics and ther
she will see that, to properly protect
and care for her home, she must have
the only dignifed weapon given tc
American citizens, the ballot"
Reports were in order from Miss Alb
bie Morgan Of the book committee
and from DR.. Dorothea Moore of the
| dramatic committee of this club but
both made their remarks brief an6
promised to go into further discussion
of the matter at some later date Sec
retary's report showed a growth In
membership for the past year, the pres
ent list including names of 1121 women
and the financial condition of the club
is excellent, the past year having af-
forded the means to purchase all the
| stocIr In the c1Ih house CORPORATION sc