68 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



EXAMINING MILK SUPPLY. 



The nine xxioiiths of my incumbency of this office has been a period 

 of intense activity as the facts presented in tabular form will at- 

 test. Conspicuous amongst the many investigations conducted was 

 an examination into the milk supplies of numerous cities, towns and 

 boroughs. This work was inaugurated primarily because the selling 

 agents of "milk preservatives" were reported as having been un- 

 usually successful in disposing of their i^reparations, such as for- 

 maldehyde, boric acid, benzoic acid, ''boron compounds," etc. Our 

 investigations, in numerous instances, resulted in the finding of 

 these materials, together with coloring matter, some of which is 

 very poisonous in its character. The condition of the milk and 

 cream sold in some towns was of an alarming nature, the use of 

 harmful drugs having reached proportions hitherto unknown. In 

 fact, it is claimed that the use of excessive amounts of such preserv- 

 atives was directly responsible for the increased mortality amongst 

 small children in Western Pennsylvania towns, while in other cases 

 infants were made ill and narrowly escaped death before the cause 

 was discovered. While preservatives and antiseptics interfere 

 with digestion, even in the case of the strongest adult, it is very 

 easy to surmise what disastrous effects must follow when adminis- 

 tered to a weak and tender babe, whose only food consists of this 

 poisonous, and death-dealing fluid. 



EXCESSIVE DOSES OF POISON. 



The analytical results showed conclusively that preservatives 

 were not only freely used by milk dealers, but that in scores of 

 instances, the quantity used was far in excess of that required 

 to prevent fermentation, thus adding to the great danger connected 

 with their use. The fact that such fluids and compounds can be 

 sold at comparatively low prices is a menace to health and life, 

 because their cheapness induces many unscrupulous and ignorant 

 producers and venders to drug their milk and cream to a very dan- 

 gerous extent and to use artificial preservation or "embalming" as 

 a substitute for cleanliness. 



IMPOSING DOUBLE FINES. 



It is a remarkable fact that a second investigation following 

 closely upon a test which had resulted in a number of arrests, con- 

 victions and payments of fines of $50.00 each, again resulted in cap- 

 turing some of the same offenders in the drag net of justice. The 

 penalties for the second ofTense were doubled, and, so far as we are 

 able to ascertain, a more healthy condition of affairs exists at the 

 present writing. 



