Milford chronicle., 1925-10-09
TESTS SHOW MILK
DILUTED WITH WATER

The excessively dry summer and
fall is believed to be the reason why
some dairymen have resorted to old
time methods of watering their milk.
In these modern days, milk water
ing, while against the law, has also
been generally tabOoed, particularly
by big milk concerns because with
tests made frequently by city and
state authorities there was small
chance of the dairyman being able
to follow such practices and not be
detected.
But the past summer was the dry
est in long term of years. Milkmen
of Wilmington for many weeks Won
dered if the supply would meet all
demands. Instead of having a large
quantity of milk left on their hands
during the warm weather because
the COWS produced more heavily,
they have just about had enough to
take care of their trade. And with
the smaller dairies it has been a
more serious problem.
The big dairyman always has
more milk than he can sell, it being
a part of the business to obtain
more than is really needed so that
in case of special demands the dairy
man can always be depended on to
supply it. What is left over the big
dairyman manufactures into either
butter or cottage cheese or butter
milk, and in this way he manages to
break even.
But the smaller dealer is up
against it when the COWS fall down
on production as they have this
summer.
According to analysis made at the
laboratory of the State Board OF
Health at Dover, there are five in
stances in the past four months,
where samples of milk taken have
shown water has been added to the
milk. Whether this practice has
been followed daily is not known
but the dealers implicated, and some
of them are in towns about Whining
ton, have been notified that this un-
lawful practice must be stopped. The
output of their dairies will be more
closely watched than ordinary to see |
if they are living within the law or |
to water their milk.
New Way to Detect Watered Milk
In analyzing milk for water, the
old-time method Of specific gravity |
tests has been greatly improved
upon. There is now a method known
as the refractory test, which is
much closer and more accurate than
the former character of test. Accord
ing to chemists the new method is
more infaIlible than the previous
way and there is little doubt after
he test shows water has been plac-
I'd in the milk that such is the case.
Up until eighteen months ago any
Kind of milk could be sold in Della
ware, but that is not the case now.
The state health officials began tax
ng samples intermittently, and as
heir personnel allowed. This year
he number of samples have been
aiken more frequently and now it is
he intention of the State Board of
Iealth to obtain samples once each
month and test them for bacteria,
irt and water.
In this way the record of each
Iairyman will be kept at the head
at Dover and the officials
an, by consulting the index card
ystem, which DR.. Arthur T. Davis,
executive secretary of the board has
learn what months a GER
ain dealer was bit lax in cleanli-
less, bacteria (Which means proper
y keeping his milk cooD and per-
laps watering it.
Testing Oysters
DR.. Davis and R. C. Beckett, state I
anitary engineer, visited Seaford
nd obtained samples of oysters that
we're being shucked (Opened) and
Dacked in cans for shipments to city
markets. These samples were taken
o the state laboratory and examined
o determine if any contamination
existed about the oyster packing
liant. The same inspection and OBJ
aiming of samples of oysters will be
made at all oyster packing houses in
Delaware, the samples being gotten
,nce a month through the oyster
eason. Analysis of the samples will
determine what packers are living
ID to the state and government sta
utes and those who are ignoring
hem.
To many it may seem unnecessary
o take the samples of blood and
Irine of employees about oyster
acking plants to determine if they
re carriers of typhoid fever germs.
Iut to modern medical and scien-
ific practices, it's perfectly regular.
t has been proven, the scientists
lain, that a person may carry ty-
hold fever germs about in his body
his life time and yet nev-
r become ill from the disease. That
5 explained by the fact that this
erson may have the vitality to sue
essfully fight off the typhoid germs.
But the same may spread these
erms from his body to others with
lore weakened vitality and they !