The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-04-14
NieUs of Laymen
REGARDING Milk Inspection

Press: The article in Tuesdays
Free Press on the Milk Ordi-
nance" by Mrs. f.. S. Selle, prompts
me to communicate to your readers
sentiments which l. believe are
highly important. 1t is gratifying
to see evidences OF an awakening
public conscience on so important
the milk supply depends on educa
ting and awakening the public
more than it does on rigid laws
As long as the consumer is salts
fed with filthy milk just so long
will careless dairymen offer it for
sale. 1t is depi0rable tact never
the less true, that only a mere
handful of people in MankatO real
ly care whether the cows that pro
duce - milk for their table have
been lurerculIn tested. This is the
reason why the milk ordinance
died in the shell. At the time the
matter was considered there was
some agitation and that helps. But
what We need Is to get down to
business and put over real cam
paign of education. Other cities
all over the country have conducted
milk demonstrations. The agricuI-
tural department is prepared to
furnish material and even trained
workers to conduct such demon
STATIONS. County Agent l.. Z. Nc
MILAN last. winter obtained infor-
nation regarding this matter. But
there seemed to be lack of sem
timent and it was dropped.
1t is however, entirely possible
for the intelligent women OF a city
to take up the task of educating
the people along the lines of good
milk. The public press is most
powerful agency In reaching the
people, and Mankato has able wo-
men domestic science teachers, and
others who could through the press
in one year raise the standard of
milk fifty per cent.
And don't leave out the dairy
man, who needs more information.
more enlightenment higher stan
.dard. And at this point let me say
the trouble with Mankato is that
the people are not willing to pay
for better milk. What is a cent a
quart extra for good milk? 1t Is a
fact that the better grades Of milk
sold in Mankato contain twenty
five per cent more fat than the
common grades and then if the
matter of cleanliness of the milk
and approved health conditions of
the herds are considered what is a
cent or two per quart for the extra
value? l have been told that clean
milk in Rochester, MINI. sells for
Is cents per quart.
AS a matter of fact, if Mankato
had inspection of the milk business
it would help to raise the standard
would be glad to see it. The pro-
Queer of high quality milk would
have nothing to fear and he would
be helped by the elimination of not
a few low standard competitors. 1t
costs more to produce good dairy
products than low grade stuff and
the dairyman should be rewarded
in proportion to the quality of his
product : Respectfully, Frank E.
Watts.
The following is the contents of a
bulletin which deals with milk. 1t is
issued by Mr. Watts:
notwithstanding the fact that
milk is very common, few people
know much in particular about it.
As matter of fact, much of our
knowledge of milk must be deter
mined by scientific experiment and
Investigation. Every intelligent
housewife, however, inform herself
on the subject and insist on the
highest quality in the milk she
uses. Especially should this be
true in the case of feeding infants
or small children where milk forms
much of the diet.
"The cows must be well kept and
in good health. A well kept herd
may, however, be badly diseased.
According to DR.. J. A. Herman,
chief of the federal bureau of ami
NAL industry, out of 1882 herds
tested for tuberculosis last year, 25
per cent were diseased and 10000
head condemned. Is it any wonder
then that one third of the tuber-
culosis in children is of the bovine
type?
comes cleanliness. The very nature
of the operation of milking renders
it difficult to obtain clean milk
Yes, the cows must be clean, stalls
and outside quarters must be clean.
Flies must be kept down to mini
mum. Utensils must be clean. The
milk must be properly cooled and
aeriated. Yes, these, and countless
o.. fUC oohS. Luz
after everything has been said the
problem fails of solution unless the
dairyman and his assistants are
naturally clean in their habits.
Filthy milk can sever be good
milk. The presence of dirt in milk
aids in the development of bacteria.
AS a consequence the milk sours.
Again the effect of low temperature
is to hinder the development of
bacteria. Thus much milk that is
insanitary passes muster in winter
that will not keep in hot weather.
How few realize the high food
values of milk. Farmers see strong
calves grow on an entirely milk
diet, yet they fail to form correct
conclusions. Housewives know it
is a great aid in good cooking yet
do not class it with meat or pastry
as a real part of the diet. IL the
city housewife realized that milk at
Is cents per quart was cheaper
than smoked ham at 25 cents per
pound, she would arrange to have
more milk in the menu. Incidental
ly, the objection to the high price
of milk would cease"
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