New-York tribune., 1911-12-17
An Impenetrable Barrier Has
Beer Erected Between
Products of the Cow
and of the Pump.

After Decembor 81. 1917, all milk and
tream offered for sale in the city Of New
York. except certain specially designated
grades Of the highest quality. must be pas
teurized under conditions prescribed by the
Board Of Health"
That ultimatum NaS issued to an the
milk pur, oyors Of this citv on Januar. 81.
1911 l6 fow day, il is booked 10 90 into
effect What the trGe signihcaucc Of such
a cieantic undertaking. means is scarcely re-
allied d. the public ut large A few facts
regarding tho wiih supply of this cit, will.
ptohthl, ,'luri7a,c ,hc subject FOR the
loadcr
Now York citr receives 1.aoH.oo' quarts
~ milk "a osr According 20 measurements
Of thc department Of Health. such an
amount Of mills would nm vessel tho size
and hcicht of Trinity Church Tower r.
placed in a straight l'nc 80 would reach fur-
thcr than TO Goston ono way. or Washing
ton another. Eesdes that amount there are
100000 quarts OF condensed milk and cream
received each day.
This gigantic supply comes from $1,000
farms
These farms are situated in seven differ
ent states
The supply come To the city through
100 creameries anl shipping stations. II
is sold here i'm 1900 stores.
The frthost point from which milk is
shipped to the city is approximately 400
miles
To understand the fun significance Of this
radical action ON the part OF the Board Of
Health il would bo well to consider briefly
the history of the development Of New
York's present system Of milk inspection.
In the late 7os the question Of milk su-
pervision and inspection was first taken up
seriously. At that time mo attention was
paid 10 any form pf adultcration or to any
improper conditions except that Of watering
and skimminc. Those were the happy days
when the pump greatly augmented the
legitimate output of the COW. The farmer
had the first crack AZ 10 AMI put in "a mod
est amount of water from the family we'll
In the back ward; noNt the creamery agent
had To add a little more. and finally, after
that much adultcrdtiou. the retail dealer In
the city accidentally had an over ready pail
Of water 10 mix iu with the milk he sold.
Tho state forces of New York and New
Jersey made many raids ON milk while il
was in transit and Immediately after it on
tered the city. Enormous quantities of
watered ana skinned milk were destroyed.
This system Of supervision was maintained
for years Finally producers and dealers
learned 10 cover their dishonest methods to
such an extent that only comparatively
small quantity Of milk could be destroyed .
simply upon a physical examination. IT
then became necessary 10 call in the ser
vices Of the department chemists Upon
the result Of these analyses, in the cases
where milk was sdulterated prosecutions
we're undertaken in the criminal courts.
This procedure greatly reduced the number
Of violations
Meanwhile the science Of milk supervision |
has progressed rapidly. The archaeological |
study Of milk brought to light the fact that /
disrrhoral diseases in infants were caused |
hy bad milk. and that such diseases as
tuberculosis. diphtheria AMI scarlet and |
typhoid fever We're in many cases the result /
Of using infected milk.
II was in 1902 when Ernst J. Lederle, the
present Commissioner Of Health. was ap-
pointed TO office by Mayor Low. that the |
first steps toward country milk inspection
were MADE. After Commissioner Lederle |
lad fred out Of his department about l57
Uunecessart Tammany employees he set
about as one Of his first duties 30 study
the dty's milk problem and its oeterment.
He had been previous 10 that time twelve
years i'm the department six years as as
S'stsnt chemist and six al chemist. While
serving iu that capacity he had general
charge or tine work Of milk inspection the
supervision OF the municipal water supply
and tho inspection of its offensive trades.
Besides, hc did much I'm the way OF ex-
amininI adulterated foods
"It Was in 1920 said Health Commits
soner Ieder,e, that AN inspector of the
department made few trips Of inspection