Evening star., 1918-05-19
SEEK TO IMPROVE
QUALITY OF milk
Boards of Health in Wash
ington and Baltimore
Cooperate.
Benefit ALREADY SHOWN

Improvement in the quality OF milk
sold in this city and in Baltimore Is
expected as q result OF cooperation
between the health departments of
the two cities. Wholly unoficiai in
character. the cooperation has. not
withstanding. already resulted in bet
terment of conditions at many sources
of supply of the two cities. The i'm
provement is expected TO continue in
increasing measure.
1t is no longer possible for milk pro-
ducers who may become disgruntIed
at restrictions imposed by the Dis
shipments to Baltimore wholesale
milk dealers or distributors. or vice
versa. for the reason that the names
of such producers as fail to refuse to
obey proper regulations promulgated
by one city are listed in the other.
Therefore. they must obey the regu-
lations or quit doing business either
with Baltimore or Washington.
Seek Trade in Washington.
Since the adoption of higher stand
ards for milk in Baltimore a number
of producers who dispose OF their
milk in Baltimore have endeavored
to establish relations with District
distributors and wholesalers. In all
but a few cases. however. the efforts
have failed. for the reason that the
District health department has not
and will not depart from the rigid
standards Of purity, richness, etc. in
force here.
One Washington distributor has es-
tablished a connection with a Mary
land producer whose milk formerly
went to Baltimore. In this case the
connection was established because
Of the known high quality of the
product and the better market af-
The District health department.
according ito statements of officials.
is handicapped in its efforts to main
tain the high standard for milk sold
in the District because producers
whose farms have been placed under
the health department ban persist in
shipping milk here in spite of the ban.
A number of cases, It is stated, have
been reported to the Office of the Dis
trict attorney.
Cases Not Yet Presented in Court.
So far these cases have not been
brought into court. As the health de-
partment has been sustained in its
position as regards rigid enforcement
Of regulations covering the purity,
cleanliness. etc, of milk sold here, by
decisions of the District Court of Ap-
peals. little apprehension is felt of
any but favorable decisions when the
cases mentioned come before the
courts.
Adoption of rigid requirements as
to bacterial content, sanitary condi-
tions of dairy barns and other build
ings and the health and good condi-
tion of dairy herds. it is asserted. re-
suited in a material reduction of the
infant mortality rate of the District
up to about three years ago. Stse !.
that time, it is stated, inability to Hrs-
vent shipment into and sale in Il ;
District of milk from insanitafy
sources or from cows not proven TO
be absolutely sound and healthy has
resulted in a rise in the rate of infant
mortality.
1t is expected. with other things
that the unofficial cooperation be-
tween the health departments of Bal
timore and Washington will result in
another downward curve in the chart
line indicating the infant mortality
due to impure or improper milk sold
in this city.