The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-10-24
CITY MUST FILE ALL ORDERS
Agents for Milford Company in Keno
sha Lay Down Strict Rules by Which
City May Secure Anti Toxin for De-
pendents at Less Than Regular Rates

Kenosha is confronted with an I'M
usual condition in regard to the supply
of anti-toxin and agents of the R. N.
Milford Company of Detroit, which
has supplied "board of trade" anti
toxin to the city in past years, were
in Kenosha Thursday in conference
with the commissioner of public
health and other officials of the city.
The Milford company has laid down
the rule that in the future anti toxin
will be supplied to Kenosha at reduced
prices only with the understanding
that it be furnished to INDECENT peo-
pie. 1t is claimed by the agents of
the company that during the diphtheria
epidemic of last winter that the anti
toxin was furnished to all corners by
the city at the reduced rate and that
as a result the companies doing bust
ness in anti-toxin found absolutely no
regular sale for the preparation in
Kenosha.
The city secured large amount Of
anti-toxin at the reduced rate and it
is alleged that physicians took advan-
tage of this fact and secured it for
families regardless of their ability to
pay. It is said that in some cases the
health department of the city counte-
nanced the giving out of the anti
toxin under such circumstances. AS a
matter of fact it is an open secret
that the anti-toxin used in Kenosha
was nearly all furnished through the
city and at one time the Milford COM
pany refused to furnish the city with
any more Of the board of trade product
and it became necessary for the city to
secure it's supply from other companies.
The agent of the company proposed
to the health department. this morning
that in order to avoid possible COM
7pllcations in this line that the city
have regular blank printed showing
just who is receiving the anti-toxin
and with the understanding that every
physician file one Of these blanks with
the board of health before the prep
aration is supplied to patient at the
low rate.
In speaking Of the matter the agent
of the company said, eve are perfect
ly willing to supply the city of Keno
sha with board of trade anti-toxin, but
it must be used only in cases where
the patients or their relatives are un-
able to pay for the preparation at the
regular price. This concession is made
to cities with the understanding that
it is to be used for dependents on the
city and last year Kenosha violated
this understanding to such an extent
that we were forced to refuse the
further supply to the city. 1t is sim
ply a case Of the city playing fair and
we have asked the department to pre-
pare formal requests for anti-toxin in
order that it will be shown that the
anti-toxin we have furnished to the
city at the reduced price is not supplied
to people well able to purchase it at
the drug stores at the regular price
which is more than three times the
price charged to the city,"
There is no doubt but that the plan
suggested will be carried out, but
there will be no trouble for patieats
to get anti-toxin if it is demanded and
if the relatives of the patient have no
money to pay. The city in such cases
will supply the anti-toxin just as it
has in other years.