The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1917-11-24

This is the tale of how reporter
Rockwell and DR.. Murray in
fuenced the city council to pass
the first milk ordinance that the
city ever had, which ordinance,
with moderate revision, still is in
force and effect.
The events herein narrated oc-
Cured in 1904, when DR.. M. B.
Cullum was mayor and DR.. D. d.
Murray was chief of the munich
pal department of health. He.
fully believed that tuberculosis
could be contracted from COWS by
human beings. He knew how the
eminent DR.. Koch had oontended
to the contrary, only to see much
Of his life-work discredited when
two of his nurses died from
bovine tuberculosis, after inocu-
lation with germs from tuber-
culous animal.
DR.. Murray believed that Du-
luth should have an ordinance
regulating the sale of milk, in
Guiding provisions for the tuber-
culin test for all milk animals.
He. spent several months study
ing up and working out a draft
of comprehensive ordinance.
when his task was completed, al
derman Coryate S. Wilson faith
cred the measure for adoption.
The common council then en-
braced aldermen Coryate S. Will
son, L. A. Barnes, w. E. Chesney,
A. j. Harker, w. E. McEwen,
Watson S. Moore, Peter Olson, D.
Sang, Frank Schaffer, Emil A.
Tessman, George Fischer, Thomas
Trevillion, James A. Waugh, B.
K. Walker, H. A. Wing and
Roland D. Haven. When the
milk ordinance came before the
common council, DR.. Murray was
greatly surprised and disap-
pointed to see about two-thirds of
the aldermen go against the
measure and lay it on the table.
Not only was a big majority Of
the aldermen against the ordin-
ance, but all the milkmen and
cattle dealers in the city and even
both the local daily papers, ag-
gressively assailed it.
When DR.. Murray saw what
forces were arrayed against him
and his pet measure, he system
atically started campaign OF
education. He made dents now
and then in an aldermanic bone
head. He eventually induced the
News Tribune to take a neutral
position. The Herald refused to
stay on the fence for once but
stood by it's patrons, the milkmen
and the cattle dealers.
Finally, DR.. Murray got next to
the private feelings of the man.
ager of the Herald with the story
of widow, two babies and COW,
living in the Glen, a tiny little
neighborhood sheltered by the
high bluff above Superior street
and adjacent to Twelfth avenue
west.
The cow of the poor widow had
a system that fairly swarmed with
tuberculosis germs. The animal
finally died and a veterinarian
who held a post mortem declared
that the animal fairly oozed tu-
berculosis germs.
Both the little babies contracted
tuberculosis. One of them event
ually died from tuberculosis Of
the bowels. The fate of the other
is not of record.
That story was too much for
the Herald manager who had
some babies Of his own.
"Your babies may meet the
same sad fate," remarked the
head Of the municipal health de-
partment.
my God, Doc, what do you
want us to do?"
Bring all the weight and in
fluence Of the Herald out in
favor of this ordinance" replied
the doctor.
"Iu do it," was the reply.
Orders were issued to all the
Herald's departments to do any
thing possible in favor of the
proposed milk ordinance. At
DR.. Murray's request, James E.
Rockwell, then i hall reporter,
was especially instructed to push
along the propaganda and to
give the health department every
possible help in the new cam
Daipn OfeducatOn,