Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1919-09-23
Alexandrians Will Then OBJ
tain Pasteurized Milk
If Desired
CONTRACT AWARDED
Health Department, Has Been Work
ing For Several Months to Secure
Such Plant.

Ques.-rThere has been soane talk
about the possibility of a plant fol
the pasteurization of milk, being 10.
Gated in Alexandria. Is there any
truth in this runner? .
Ans.-It gives me great pleasure to
state this rumor is true beyond any
questions of doubt. Two well knlowr
dairymers, who have been milk ship
pers to Washington for years past
have already purchased the ground
given the contract for the building
and ordereld the necessary euipment
for the plant. This means far moro
to the people eff Alexandria than this
simple statement would imply. On ac-
count of tits Importance as a public
kea1th measure, / might State that
our Department. has been quietly work
ing for several months past to induce
SOME person ito engage in this much
needed enterprise A pasteurizing
plant fer OUT milk, is just as neces-
,sary aus liberation plant for our
water. For those who don't want pas
teurized milk, the other kind will be
at hand as usual.
Ques.-"How IS milk Pasteurized
and does it render it free from germs
and safer to use than the ordinary
milk served to us by our dairynlan?
What does the ternm "pasteulizeP
sigriify?" -....-. ...-.-:,. -
Ans.-The process of pasteurizirg
milk is very simple yet effeetive. 1t
consists of raising the fresh milk to
temperature of 145 degrees F, ard
maintaining this heat for 80 mirutes,
then the milk is quickly cooled to so
degrees F or less and kept cool un-
til deEiveaed to theSy CUSTOMER. This
process while simple, must be cen
Quoted with great care, for if the milk
is heated only two or three dega7s'es
above, the temperature reuired, the
uality is injured, and if kept below
that tenlperiatune, the bacteria are
not destroyed.
This process kills all disease p,'o,
milk, such as the bacilai of typho:d
fever, diphtheraa, tuberculosis, septic
sore throat, etc. It,,is for this reason
that pastenrized milk is safe milk fer
children and invalids. The term past
eurize" was given the process in homer
of it's discovereu, Professor Pasteur,
the great French scientist who first
brought to Fight the germn of tuber-
cufosis.
Ques. ado you test the milk brought
into, our cby by the dairynlen who
deliver it to the stores and private
houses, and if so, how do you judge
its quality?"
Ans. Yes; we do. EVERY dairy that
sends milk into this city is required
by law to obtain permit from De-
partment Of Health, and such permit
is granted only after an inspection
Of the dairy and methods of haaxtf'ns
the milk. The general sanitary condi-
tions must meet our regulations. Any
person bringing milk into TINS CITY
without such permit, is liable to ar
rest and a heavy fine for each day
such milk is brought m and sold o'
offered for sale.
We take weekly samples from the
various nilknien, after they enter the
CITY to deliver it to their custcme:s Is
1t is taken to cur laboratory IN tht
City Halt and tested for butter fa
and bacterial count. We reuire but
ter fat content of IA per cent. Mos
cities set their own standards as Il
bacter;al count. Boston, for instanc-
has a standard of 100000 per cubi
centinreter, while New York sets 1,
100000 per c. C. This don't mean tina
each c. c. contains 100000 disess
germs, but simply the ordinary bac
teuia-mostly harmless-that are nor
ntally found in raw milk that is pro
ducei and handled under REASONABLE
fair sanitary conditions.
Amy ,law milk showing over l
100000 bacteria per c. c. in summe,
can we'll be considered unsafe for HI
man consumption, because 1t Indicate
umsan;tary conditions about the dair
or careless kanttline, hence liable |