The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-02-15

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4 created milk, the most nearly
SNI perfect food, there was no plan
AVN for any intermediate distributor
between producer and con-
sumer. The mother was the
IL 81 producer, and the human or
u animal infant consumed at the
source But with the first crude
Rropings toward civilization the distributor en-
tered the milk picture, and the milk distribution
problem became increasingly important as towns
and cities increased in number and size.
Milk has been particularly in the public eye IN
recent months. Dissatisfaction OF the farmers
has been evidenced in strikes and riots. Shrink
ing family budgets have been reflected In de-
creased consumption. A tremendous overproduc-
ton, due to combination OF large increases IN
the number of dairy animals and the reduced
pubIic demand has affected profits OF farmer
and distributor alike, and nobody, including
the public is happy about the present situation.
But all of this confusion cannot ignore the
fact that getting milk from the producer to the
consumers doorstep is one OF the most dlmcut
businesses in America 1t must reach the Gus
toner in a state Of perfect freshness. And ITS
purity must be assured at all times to prevent
tragic epidemics. Therefore, the distributor be-
comes more than purVeyor OF food He must
of necessity be a guardian of public health.
The daily delivery-regardless Of billiards.,
sleet or hail-of millions of bottles OF milk to
the doorsteps Of America has been compared IN
its unfailing regularity with the United States
Mail In many respects, however, the problems
overcome by milk distributors each day are
greater than those met by Uncle Sam IN the
daily carrying of the mails. For one thing, milk
is highly perishabIe while. obviously, mail is not
The growth of the dairy industry and the
perfection of the many processes by which milk
is produced, collected, transported and kept pure
for distribution among consumers, often located
hundreds of miles from the source, is one OF the
epic stories of modern America. To understand
properly this exceedingly complex structure, it
is necessary to go back so to rs years.
In 1850. the businesses Of the country were
still.in the early stages Of evolution This was
particularly true of the milk industry. Little OF
the science which today surrounds the distribu-
ton of this basic food was known then. As q
consequence the milk that sold and con-
sumed was one of the chief sources OF sickness
and death of infants.
Practically nothing was understood then about
the danger from bacteria of how they may
come from unhealthy cows, unclean milkmen,
uncean stables, lack Of sterilized utensils. or
flies It was not known that milk must be kept
cool so that the bacteria already present in II
will not multiply. Because of this ignorance cpl
denies were common. Typhoid fever. scarlet
fever, diphtheria, tuberculosis and diarrhea
were some of the milk-borne diseases which
annually took hundreds OF lives.
Four-wheel carts resembling victorias were
the milk wagons of the days before the Civil
War. The milk was ordinarily put into large
cans which were loaded on the carts by peddlers
who themselves would sit on high seats behind
the cans and go about the streets ringing bells
or calling out their wares to attract housewives.
One aged Negro in New York City attained wide
fame as THE Buttermilk Man" because of his
"but-termil-lik" chant.
The methods of milking in vogue were even
more crude and unsanitary. Perhaps the worst
conditions in the United States were those sur
rounding much of the milk sold in New York
City. After pasturage for cows within the city
limits had slowly disappeared enterprising dis
tillery owners discovered that the mash or slop
remaining after whiskey was made could be fed
to cows and result in an even greater yield OF a
highly acid milk than when cows were fed nor.
mally. So thriving business relationship be-
tween distillery owners and dairymen sprang
up. Cows were crowded into small. cramped
stables adjacent to distilleries and slop fed to
them by means of troughs running from the
distilleries. Net only were the stables 30 con-
structed that they were practically impossible
to clean but no attempt was made to clean
them The cows were never moved from their
stalls except to be sent to the butcher.
In addition. the milk was almost constantly
diluted and aduIterated. II was said at the time
that If gallon of milk had been merely treated
with pint of pure water. II was drink to be
cherished. Frequently the adulterants were
moIasses, chalk and plaster of Paris. 1t is obyi-
Gus that the death rate of infants fed this milk
would be extremely high.
One of the first crusaders for cleanliness IN
the handling of milk was Gail Borden. founder
of the company which bears his name today.
Public opinion was slowly being aroused over
the distillery diaries when. in 1851. Mr.. Borden
witnessed the illness and death of infants on
shipboard because of unclean milk given by
cows kept In filthy quarters in the hold of the
vessel. Later he learned of the thousands Of city
infants that died through lack Of pure milk.
Mr.. Borden determined to seek solution for
these deplorable conditions by inyenting q
method Of condensing and preserving milk in .
wholesome state, in cans. After an almost heart
breaking effort he solved this problem only to
discover that his factory could get no satisfac.
tory steady supply Of pure milk. His invention
was Of little value without it
So Mr.. Borden became a crusader for cieanii-
ness in milk production He concerned himself
to then unheard-of degree in the way his