The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-16
He Is Alarmed Over X. q. Test
of Milk.
CITY OFFICIALS NOT WORRIED
Milk Up to Standard and No
Sickness.
Test Has Little Real Value, as
Milk Was Old.

Practically all milk consumed in
Topeka is dangerous, all sour milk is
deadly, and buttermilk is absolutely
fatal-if bacterial counts made by the
students of the Kansas university and
the State Agricultural college are a
true indication of the who1esomeness
| or unwho1esomeness OF milk. DR.. J.
S. Crumbine, secretary of the state
the bacterial count method of de-
termining the wholesomeness of milk
! and has sounded an alarm
This alarm was in the form of a let
ter to Mayor r. l. Cofran and the
members Of the city commission and
| is as follows:
Honorable Mayor and Commits
! siOners: am enclosing herewith a
copy Of the bacterial examination of
the Topeka milk from samples taken
/, Nov. %, %, and again Dec. 6.
From this report you will notice
peka's milk supply, under the stand
ards adopted by most municipalities
+. in this country, and by sanitary au-
thorities generally, is unsuited for
food purposes.
"The maximum number of bacteria
per C. c. that has been fixed by. any
| municipality of which 1 have any
knowledge, is not to exceed 100000
per c. c., although many municipali-
ties have a maximum number of 1OO,-
1 UUU per C. G. Ou Will observe IuaC
but two samples of TOpeka's milk
would come up to the grade of certi-
fed milk.
"The department expresses the
hope that in the selection of a new
milk inspector one may be chosen
who understands the fundamentals OF
clean milk, and who has the ability to
| make bacterial counts, which is the
| only proper test for safe and whole
| some milk supply. The method the
| dairies now have of straining the Wis
| ible dirt and COW manure out Of the
milk through cotton filters, while
making a visibly clean milk, does not,
| as a matter Of fact, keep out the bac-
| terra. Nothing but cleanly methods
| and proper sanitary surroundings can
! produce clean milk Straining de-
| vices are merely makeshifts.
This department feels that on future
| bacterial examinations of the Topeka
| milk. that counts exceeding one million
per c. c. will be sufficient cause for in
dictment Of all dealers. under provis-
ions of the Kansas food and drugs law.
| We would much prefer, however, that
this matter which is .. municipal prob
lem. be handled by the city. -----~
| Every truly yours.
~. g. CRUMBINE, M. D.. sec'y.''
| A "Social Survey Report.
Accompanying the letter was a report
| Of the courts.
"The social survey people supplied
me with a copy of that report two
months ago." said Commissioner w. L.
Porter. II presume DR.. Crumbine was
given a report at the same time. II
has taken him two months to become
alarmed.
II do not see why he did not take
chips in the game while DIR. Babb the
milk inspector, was here to defend him.
SELF" said Commissioner w. G. Tandy
DIR. George F. Babb, who was city
milk inspector at the time the sam.
pies were taken, has since then volun-
tarily resigned to accept a position
with a better salary with the United
States government. At the time sam
pies were being taken by the socia
survey people for the purpose of hav'
ing a bacterial count made. DR.. Bab1
discussed the value of bacterial count.
with State Journal reporter.
| OF But Little Value.
"A great many of the leading bac
teriologists of the country have com'
to the conclusion that bacterial counts
are of no value whatever. They hav'
come to this conclusion because practi
cally no two experts, even workin,
side by side on the same sample ant
using the same methods ever arrived
at even approximately the same fig