The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-01-17
Commissioner Dillon Finds
Butter Fat Not Up to the ,
Laws. Requirement.
GIVES RESULT OF TESTS
Charges One Dealers Product
Is f. Per Cent. Below Grade
Warns Consumers.

John J. Dillon. State Commissioner OF
Foods and Markets, said yesterday that
investigation by the milk inspector Of his
department discloses the fact that the
average milk now being delivered to the
consumers OF New York city at present
is below the legal State and city stand
ards in butter fat"
Tests turned in to-day on samples of
milk taken from the Borden wagons in
four tests" Mr.. Dillon said. "show grade
\ milk tests for e.s per cent. butter fat
and one test On grade milk showed
Two tests Of grade B milk showed 2.s
per cent. These four tests average less
than the legal standard.
Milk secured from the shefYield
Farms wagons showed one test of A
milk at the scant legal standard Of
per cent. and two tests at as per cent.
OF four tests OF shefleld Farms grade b
milk three showed the scant legal test
of per cent. and three samples showed
rs per cent. each. The average Of these
nine tests is also below the legal stand.
ard.
"Ore test from Mutual Nc Dermott
wagons on b milk showed 2.S per cent.
butter fat and one test OF Clover Farms
A milk showed IS per cent. butter fat.
Both the McDermott and the Glover
Farms tests reached o.2 per cent. below
the legal standard.
! "Worst showing OF All"
zone test from the Brooklyn Milk and
| Creamery Company on b milk also
showed rs per cent. butter fat, a short
age of OF per cent. under the legal stand
ard: and one test Of the Empire Stat,
OF all. being 2.6 per cent. butter fat, Of
o. per cent. below the standard.
"One test Of Borden's route cream
supposed to contain 20 per cent. buttei
fat tested Is per cent.
Aside from the legal requirement o.
per cent for milk In this State and il
this city, we have a state law forbiddint
the adulteration Of milk, and adultera
ton 10 defined as putting anything int,
milk or taking anything out Of milk
The milk being made on the farm
and delivered to these companies viii
probably average not less than 3.S pc
cent, and this generally low percentag
OF butter fat in the tests cannot be har
monised with the strict observance q
this State law forbidding the adultera
ton of milk.
THE only possible conclusion Of
practical mind is that the dealers ar
generally skimming or partially skim
ming milk and taking cream out OF III
milk, and are selling to the patrons o
the city OF New York skinned milk /,
open violation Of the statute.
This record at the present time, whe
the large dealers in New York ar
planning, through the influence Of tn
Wicks committee. 10 divide the city int
zones and TO secure for themselves
monopoly OF the distribution Of milk 4
The respective zones. gives n pretty fai
intimation OF what might happen to IN
consumers OF the city after the mo
nopoly was once wei, established.
How Housewives Are Fooled.
III. when these dealers are in an n
, legged competition with each other. the
are able to violate the State and cit
law with impunity. what might we eS
pect after they haze divided the cit
} among themselves and secured legs
exclusive monopoly OF the Distribute
: In these districts?
"One OF these companies has adoptc
n standard of 3.S per cent. for a basis |
the purchase of milk from producer
and its conspicuous advertisement
throughout the city are intended al lea'
to give the consumer the impressio
that this particular company furnishs
n ri>her quality OF milk than oths
dealers. It's record here, while sma
, friction better than It's next competito
still averages below the legal require
! ment.
(, THE farmer is obliged TO sell his mil
y strictly on the butter fat test. II It rur
below the legal standard of 3 per cen
he is prosecuted and fined for adulter;
ton. The dealer evidently escap pes II
embarrassment Of prosecution and II
expense OF fines. and the consumer tax,
SKINNED milk in blissful ignorance
n the amount of butter fat II may contai
= while she pays cents a quart exit
. for the a brand, these tests seem
y indicate that on an average she gets
least an equal quality of milk under Il
d b brand and nothing in the way
% quality to brag of In either case
e >nnn CI,C M E,JlyC,C nY