New Britain herald., 1915-12-23

milk situation
 There has been some not altogethe CT kind criticism of him because he has not brought into court for prosecu- ton, cases of bob veal,' or by similar methods shown signs of his activity. There is neither time nor space to enter into discussion of the fitness or unfitness of "bob veaP' (veal weigh ing less than 60 pounds) as a food Auth critics differ as to it's harmful ness as a food. Some think it is more aesthetic than injurious. Suffice it to say, is contrary to law to sell it.
 On the other hand, it is also con- trary to law to sell milk that is below standard and milk that Is injurious to health It admits of no argument that impure milk kills more babies than any other one thing, and that it causes more illness among people of all ages than any other article of food. Question: should the city's employee devote his time to hunting down "bob VeaP' and possibly securing ten to fif- teen out of a probable 100 sold during the year, or should he spend his time tracing the sources of impure mllk-a recognized source of illness and deaths? Obviously, an inspector can not inspect farms, cattle, dairies, stores, collect samples of milk, and at the same time watch for promiscuous and illegal slaughtering!
 It must be borne in mind that this department has as it's aim the conser- vation of health: that presumably we have some knowledge of either sub- jest (bob veal and milk, and that we are serving the city to the best of that knowledge by having the inspector do as he is now doing.
 In order to make the most of so important a work as food (including alb inspection with such a shortage of help, others in the department are as- suming parts of the work in addition to their already crowded time.
 Since we started the systematic and frequent inspection of every food store in town we have met with some op- position and enough experiences to warrant the work being continued. The opposition has usually come from the storekeeper who thought that an inspection was an indication that we were of the opinion his store was dirty. 1t should be needless to state that we visit every store 1SSoI ulcSS ol US COHQlC1On. when It IS Known that we have had occasion to destroy pounds upon pounds of bad meat in some of the stores; that in- stances of salting meat in a most ob- Jectlonable manner-even keeping it In toilet rOom-have been found and the method stopped; that ice boxes nave been found which apparently had never been washed out, the need or store inspection will become appar- ent. These conditions do not prevail among our better stores
 Tuberculosis Work.
 The taking over of the work of the Tuberculosis Relief society has in no wise diminished the pressure of work or finances of this department. Here Q gain is an exhibition of the aim of the health department viz: to detect conditions which tend to deplete health, and to try and rectify existing conditions. But, in this particular branch of our department. much more is done than can possibly be put upon paper The personal attention in nursing, the giving of needed advice, the word of comfort and sympathy are all given by the tuberculosis nurse.
 How can one record the frightened Heart, the cheered home, the better health brought about by the persist er,t and sympathetic efforts of the nurse? The only thing in the monthly reports to show for this is under the caption: "Cases Sent Away or Cases Returned" or "Visits Made" hrn face to face with scenes of desOla- tion of health, comfort and happiness. that cause us to pause and count our blessings while wondering why so much suffering and sadness should exist. Is it any wonder, then, that the employees of this department should work together. as a family, or that the question of "citv hours'' does not enter our minds when, by working overtime, some of the suffering, dis comfort, abuses, and menaccs to health may be relieved?
 The work of the laboratory would fe interesting to those who are of the opinion that the function of a board of health is but to look after con- tagiOus diseases Here we have a laboratory equipped quite as well as the average municipal laboratory, and in it We watch the progress of cer- tain diseases, especially that of diph- theria.
 Before the days of the laboratory a ease of diphtheria was duarantined, the quarantine removed and the patient allowed his freedom as soon as the symptoms subsided. It was often noticed that after the patient was well enough to associate with others. some one of his chums came down with the disease. By use of the laboratory we now know that the germs causing diphtheria may finger in the throat for several days to several weeks after the patient is