Smyrna times., 1924-07-23
DELAWARE TOWNS SUPPLIED
WITH DIRTY MILK TESTS SHOW
MILFORD WORST IN SUSSEX
KENT COUNTY UNDER TESTS
Improper Cooling Methods Response
bic for Multiplication of Bacteria
-Carlessness is Accountable

Improper Cooling Methods Response
bic for Multiplication of Bacteria
-Carlessness is Accountable
To the average Delawarean, as
founding results are being obtained
by the statewide survey of milk pro
ducing centers, the result of tests
made by the travelling laboratory of |
the American Health Association,
which is aiding the State Health and
| Welfare Commission, in ascertaining |
how much, if any, filth and dirt is
contained in the milk served in this
state The motor laboratory has been
visiting every section of Delaware,
inspectors taking samples of the milk
offered for sale and testing it to de-
termine how much dirt is contained,
the kind of dirt and the anS--snt of
bacteria. These results have been
shocking to many localities, and
afford physicians some corrobOratlon
of precautions against milk that
might be responsible for outbreaks OF
dysentery and even worse summer di-
seases and ills.
| fOr L0IeG WGGkS LllC LGoLl4AS VI AAAAtAA
throughout Delaware has been going
forward, and the past week, the
laboratory has been operating about
Dover. Last week it moved into New
Castle county and tests of milk served
throughout the county and also the
milk sent to Wilmington are being
made.
After the tests have been complet-
ed, the State Health and Welfare
Commission will then have to face
the problem of what to do with those
producers whose milk shows unwar-
ranted filth and disease germs. There
are sufficient laws on the state statue
books to protect the citizens of Del
aware, but the trouble has been that
these have never been enforced.
Easier To Enforce the Laws Now
!. But with the results of the labor
atory tests in hand and the reports
! from the sanitary inspector OF the
d State Health and Welfare Commits
E sion, showing his visits to dairies and
Is the pledges of the owners to clean
F. ND cow barns and stables that were
unfit, the question of seeing that Del
s. aware men, women and children get
milk that is fit for human consump-
l. tion and not tainted and charged with
Il unspeakable disease germs is made
more simple for the Commission.
Not counting Dover where the tests
have not been completed, the labor
O. atory has visited thirteen towns anI
cities. In each town or city, the mill
e. tests have been made to show th'
percentage of dealers serving dirt!
s' milk. the dealers whose milk is abov'
ce the 100000 bacteria regulations, TN
p dealers whose milk shows fatal con
IS tamination and the average bacterl'
count for each of the towns.
~ ~ In the question involving dirty mln
there appears to be little to choose
Most of the towns show that all o
the milk sold in those towns IS DIRT
above state and health standards. y
the thirteen towns, RehOboth an
u Lewes have the best records IN I'M
- test. At Lewes but so per cent an
at Rehoboth but So per cent OF IN
= dealers are serving unclean mlli
Milford is next with 65 per Ger
Laurel next with 66 per cent, the
Harrington with 70 and Seaford wit
81 per cent.
The towns where the laborator
tests show that 100 per cent OF IN
~ milk offered for sale is dirty al
1,o Delmar. Greenwood, BridgevlIl
-, GEORGETOWN, Millsboro, Franktor
~ Milton. These figures to the medic
- man speak for themselves and are n
"a alihi in cases where diseases atta'
on a citizen and the physicians etfor
prove unavailing.
Milford Apparently Worst Ohehue
" In the bacteria tests Milford Is
parently the worst offender. The re
irv ulations for the state are that mi
shall not show a bacteria OF mo
than 100000 and according to I
NC laboratory tests Sc per cent OF I
ew. milk sold in that town is above To-
for 600 bacteria. Bridgeville, however,
close second with 85 per cent, Sc
ford third with n per cent, Harrir
Ton IOufCn WlUn ~ per celI5 helODt
fifth with 43 per cent, Georgeto'
and Lewes sixth with 33 per &C
3 each, Delmar seventh with q ]
@. cent and Milton eighth, with % !
S''' cent. There are four towns, VIII
as far as bacteria counts go, the m
tested show less than 100000 bacte
These are Laurel, Greenwood, Mi
boro and Frankford.
According to R. C. Beckett,
- sanitary engineer of the State Hea
and Welfare Commission who is
sisting in the taking of the milk te
the chief menace lies in the fact t
the milk producers make no after
to cool their milk to proper standa
Since the agitation this spring