The Washington times., 1912-09-22
SAYS OYSTER FARM
SHOWS GOOD MILK
WILL SAVE BABIES
DR.. Magruder Describes
Work Done for Poor, Sick
Little Ones in Capital.

After a number OF eminent speakers
had spoken on various aspects of the
milk supply problem at the hygiene ex-
position last evening. DR.. G. Lloyd Ma
gruder told how problems which they
Germs a large number of poor children
in Washington. DR.. Magruder referred
TO the work done by George NJ. Oyster
in giving poor babies healthy milk from
his dairy farm and also In caring for
sick babies on the farm.
Here at home we have had a won
derful demonstration of what good
milk will effect" said DR.. aMgruder.
Babies brought in sick, sarved from
poor feeding almost to the point Of
emaciation, have shown the most
marked Improvement in a short time.
two months old baby brought to the
oyster farm weighed only seven and a
half pounds on arrival. When eight
months old this child was a rompins,
robust youngster Weighing eighteen
pounds.
Many instances OF improvement
equally as great as the above could be
quoted, and the records of the farm
and OF the oyster stations are of al
most incalculable value in showing
six hundred and thirty-one sickly
babies were taken free the first year OF
Mr.. Oysters work. and Of these only
only fifteen had been Ill with intestinal
troubles, the others dying from causes
In no way related to the question OF
milk supply
Instructed Mothers and Children.
The great saving of human life thus
shown Is the more surprising when 1t Is
considered that in many hospitals for
the treatment of infants. the mortality
is as high as IS per cent.
"In addition to the furnishing Of
proper milk, Mr.. Oyster has had insti-
tuted a course Of health lectures at the
stations for mothers and children. Dur
ing the first year sxty-four OF these
lectures were given to naverage at
tendance Of thirty-three, or a total OF
about 1900. Many Of the children wrote
essays on what they had learned. after
the lectures, and these essays are sur
DR.. Magruder told of the history of
milk legislation in the District and
showed by a chart how greatly typhoid
fever has decreased here since Congress,
in 1894. passed the law which requires
the obtaining of permits from the Health
Department before selling milk.
The city as whole faces many prob
were outlined last evening by DR.. Hull
bert Young, chief inspector of the Dis
trict. He and several other speakers
emphasized the fact that great danger
lies in the custom of delivering milk
at temperature of so degrees or
above.
DR.. Young also said that examination
of dairy farms whence Washington milk
comes is greatly Handicapped by the
fact that there are only six inspectors
to look after LIS farms, which are
scattered all the way from a point near
vile on the South.
Not Enough Milk Inspectors.
DR.. l.. l.. Lumsden. of the United
States Public Health Service. told the
audience That governments should re-
quire the pasteurization of all milk sold.
The work should be done under official
| supervision, he said.
Henry s. Ayers. of the dairy division,
Bureau of Animal Industry, told what
pasteurization will accomplish. Mr.,
| authorities in the United States on this
subject and his declaration that pasteur-
| ization dose not destroy the Tactic acid
forming bacteria is considered OF great
Importance. 1t has been contended by
opponents OF pasteurization that these
Tactic acid bacteria would be destroyed
and that putrefactive organism would be
left which, relieved of the restraining
action of the acid-forming bacteria
would develop, forming poisonous toxins
and putrefactive products.
| Ernest Kelly, also of the Department
| of Agriculture, told of what Is being
in other cities TO improve the milk sup
ply.
Emile Berloner presided at the meet.
ing.