The Washington times., 1911-01-26
Special Report of Chamber
of Commerce Investiga-
tors Is Filed.
TUBERCULIN TEST
HELD ESSENTIAL
Health Office Is Vindicated After
Careful Inquiry-Asks
Congress Aid.

That the tuberculin test for dairy
cows, which was the underlying cause
of the investigation of Washington's
milk supply by a special committee Of
the Chamber of Commerce, is essential
TO the welfare of the people of the Dis
trict, is the keynote of the report of the
special committee, filed with President
James F. Oyster of the Chamber today.
Captain oyster will confer with the
executive committee of the Chamber of
Commerce over the milk report, and 1t
is probable d special meeting will be
called for next week to consider 1t. The
reason for this IS that the report is so
broad and so important that an entire
evening may well be devoted to it by
The Chamber.
culin test should be applied to cows
whose milk is consumed IN the District
Is but one Of many important findings
of the committee.
Charges Investigated.
The charges against the District
Health officer, DR.. w. c. Woodward.
and against the milk experts of the
Government in Washington, made by
representatives of the milk producers
; and milk dealers, were carefully inves-
ugated by the committee, which de-
clares emphatically in its report that
the charges were groundless. The high
est praise is accorded DR.. Woodward
for the manner in which he has con-
Quoted the Health Department.
The report also indicates that Wash
lngton may expect TO pay higher prices
for milk in the near future.
The enactment of laws providing for
more rigid regulation of Washingtons S
milk supply is urged, and coupled with
this Is the prediction that if these re-
qulrements are met-which the COM
mlttee declares is essential in order that
a pure milk supply be assured-the
community may expect to pay 10 cents
quart for milk instead of cents.
The committee adds that there is no
necessity for price above 10 cents, as
both retailer and producer can make a
fair profit on milk sold at that figure.
Members of Committee.
The investigation by the milk commit
tee, composed of ]. Louis Willige chair
man; George w. White, Benjamin w.
Guy, Thadeus c. Dulin. and William D.
Hoover, has been most thorough. The
committees report comprises 200 type
written pages, and represents three
months Of the most painstaking work.
II shows the committee held public
hearings, at which representatives of
the milk producers, milk dealers, trans
porta ton companies, the District, the
government, and the consumers were
heard.
The committee obtained information
from the health officers of most Of the
large cities of the country, and from
numerous, extensive milk producers and
dealers of the country. In addition to
the information thus acquired, the mem
berS OF the committee read practically
all the literature of the Government on
milk, and studied the findings of the
AmeriCan-Canadian commission on the
M hnVina fnhprpulnSiC pf
the English and German royal commits
sions on regulation of milk supply.
Consider Commercial Side.
The committee gave due consideration
TO the commercial side of the local milk
situation, to the interests of milk pro-
ducers and dealers-and did not accept
the statements of scientists without re-
gard to their relation to the business of
producing and selling milk
In substance, the committee found
that pure milk supply is possible and
declared it to be desirable. 1t recon-
mendS, however, that regulation be en-
forced with a view to giving producers
and dealers reasonable opportunity to
comply with them.
The committee took up in detail and
Investigated specifically the various
charges made against the District
Health Officer by representatives Of the
milk producers and dealers, and eXoner-
ateS DT. W OOONdrQ completely. It's re-
port on this feature of its work follows:
1.-THE committee takes pleasure in re-
porting that nc valid reasons have been
presented before it, nor has it been able
TO observe the necessity for, an inveSti-
CATION of the administration Of the local
Health Department, as proposed by the
DairYmen's Association.
Department Praised.
The department has not only been
conducted with the single aim of jeal-
ouslv guarding the health of the resi-
dents Of the District of Columbia, and
lending an educational influence toward
improved sanitary methods throughout
the whole country, but it has attained Il
remarkably high standard Of efficiency
under the unusually intelligent and ener-
getic supervision of the present Health
Officer.
''The committee finds that the inspec-
tors appointed to the service have been
competent and capable of discharging
their duties with satisfaction: that any
lack of patience or courtesy on the
part of inspectors has been quite excep-
tional, and that tact and diplomacy have
been customarily exhibited in the eXeCu-
ton Of their responsible duties; that
dealers have not been prosecuted by the
Health Department, and summoned to
court without reasonable cause.
Grocers Are Watched.
Local grocers and other merchants
have not been allowed to dispense milk
without proper permit from the Health
Department We also find that the
present and proposed requirements of
law with regard to the standards OF
milk, cream and other dairy products
offered for sale in the District of Co.
lumbia, are not unreasonable and inn
possible of observance, but tend, in the
judgment of the committee, to afford
that full degree of protection, which
should be provided for the public health
and that such regulations as have been
promulgated by the Commissioners
with respect to the production and