REPORT ON THE INVESTIGATION OF DAIRY 



PRODUCTS. 



January i, 191 1. 

 To the Hon. A. IV. Gihnan, Commissioner of Agriculture: 



I respectfully submit herewith my report as agent in charge 

 of the investigation of dairy products from March 15th, 1910, 

 to date. 



During- the year 1910 the work of milk inspection has been 

 carried on far more aggressively than in years past. The laws 

 of 1909 having instituted a good basis on which to prosecute, 

 have led to increased activities on the part of local milk in- 

 spectors. Boards of health have taken greater interest in the 

 production and care of milk ; people are learning the true char- 

 acter of milk and demand that something shall be done to 

 improve its quality and cleanliness. ]\Iany inquiries have been 

 received in this office regarding the cleanliness and purity of 

 the milk supply in our towns and cities. More especially is 

 the demand for pure milk arising in the larger cities. Con- 

 sumers are no longer satisfied with milk diluted with water, 

 colored artificially, preserved with poisons used so extensively 

 in years past, flavored with odors of the barn-yard and laden 

 with dirt. People realize more than ever that milk has been 

 and is today in many communities one of the moet carelessly 

 handled articles of food. Milk is a necessity in the welfare of 

 children, in the nutrition of invalids, and yet we find people 

 and hospital overseers buying milk from dairies in which no 

 attention is paid to sanitation, cleanliness of the barn, and health 

 and cleanliness of the cow and the attendants. Milk which 

 contains dirt is suggestive of danger just as water containing 

 dirt is considered unfit for drinking purposes. As a medium 

 for carrying disease germs, milk is probably second to none. 

 Physicians could do no better service than to aid in educating 

 the people to realize the great importance of clean milk and its 

 role in nutrition. 



