Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-07-16
FOR A MILK SURVEY TO
IMPROVE DAILY SUPPLY
Prof. j. c. Gray, of st. Johns
College Gives Interesting Talk
Before Civic League.
TOSAFE-GUARD PUBLIC HEALTH
Purity Of Ice Cream Sold in Annapolis
Should be Investigated --Needs of
a Public Health Laboratory.

In his talk before the Civic League
at its regular monthly meeting Tues
day night in the Municipal Building,
Prof J. c. Gray. of ST. Johns College,
| presented a subject near to the hearts
Of all housekeepers. especially moth
ers with children. and sick folk. Pro-
fessor Gray said in part:
"All progressive communities are
taking measures TO safeguard the pub
lie health, some even going so far as
to establish public health laborato-
ries. and hiring specialists to look
after all matters of public health TO
meet the demand for such workers.
Harvard University has established a
school for health officers Adjacent
towns sometimes combine and hire a
health officer if they have not resour-
ces enough to enable them to do so
alone
annapolis is very fortunate as re-
CARDS two very important sources of
danger TO the public health, namely.its
water and milk supply for the former
is from springs, which is the best
source for drinking water, and the lat
ter comes from local dairymen Meth
er supply is all It should be. though.
and with some supervision beth could
be improved, especially The milk sup
| ply. ] wish first to make some sug-
gestions for improving the milk, or for
a milk surveyas it is commonly called.
An educational campaign could be
started to show the producer Of the
milk better methods for its produc-
tion, and handling. and the consumer
the proper care and use OF the milk in
the home. The customer is often as
much TO blame for the souring of milk
as the dairyman for the milk is left
out on the steps for an hour or more
in the hot sun and then put in the re-
frigerator 10 far from the ice, both Of
which result in the growth of bacteria
which takes place more rapily the
higher the temperature. and in the
consequent souring OF the milk from
the products of bacterial action
"A milk survey should be of benefit
TO both the producer and the consum-
er, but to be 80 they must help each
other and be willing to receive sug-
gestiong for Improvement A circu-
lating library could be started con
sisting of books on dairyng subjects
and OF pamphlets, published by the
United States Department of Agri-
culture and by the State Experimental
Station. A visit 10 each dairyman by
one undertaking the survey would be
profitable IN getting the point of view
Of each and in correcting any misun-
derstandings regarding the purpose OF
work. Having thus secured the Co
operation Of the dairyman. his plant
could be inspected and scored. using
the system OF scoring approved by the
Government.
This would enable the dairymau to
see what improvements might be
made in his equipment or methods of
handling the milk. Then the milk
could be tested for the percentage Of
fat and solids, the number Of bacte-
ria present and the specific gravity
and temperature at which it is deliy-
eded, taken. To determine each of
these on 4 number of DAYS gives a
fairer test OF the milk than to make
just one test Any milk deficient IN
fat and solids, from which the cream
had not been removed, could be laid to
unproductiye cows. which are the un.
productive ones could be determined
by testing separately the milk from
each COW in the herd.
IF desired, / would be willing to
give a demonstration in the Chemical
Laboratory at st. Johns College of the
methods Of testing milk. and also wa
ter, air. butter and other articles OF
food, which may be impure.
Milk, even at ten cents a quart. is
cheaper than round steak as an arti-
Gle Of food. Experiments at the Uni
versity of Maine showed that the stu
dents who had plenty Of milk to drink
ate less meat. II the housekeeper
could be persuaded to use more milk
her family would be better nourished
at less cost and the dairyman would
benefit also from the greater con
sumption Of milk
The milk survey should be carried
TO the homes as vel as 10 the farms
with insistence on keeping the milk
below a temperature of 50 degrees
ana not exposing it TO the air any
more than is necessary. To wash
and return the bottles daily would be
help to the dairymen. The purity Of
ice cream and Of butter offered for
sale IN Annapolis could also be inves-
tigated.
Many states have laws forbidine
the sale Of vegetables and fruits which
are eaten raw, such as tomatoes
blackberries and peaches. unless they
are properly protected by being coy
cred With netting or placed in glass
case to keep the flies or Cooked ar
ticles Of food become steriIized in the
process OF cooking.
In the public market Of Annapolis.
the flies can 60 right from the horse
manure in the street &c the bIackber-
RES on the sidewalk. bringing all sorts