DAIRY INSPECTION. 205 



DAIRY INSPECTION. 



C. E. MARSHALL^ AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



From the many sided discussions of this subject we obtain our excuse 

 for presenting our views. Too much is thoughtlessly said, too much comes 

 from a prejudiced standpoint concerning it, and too little of its fullest 

 significance is realized. Narrow views emanate largely from those who 

 would step into the position of dairy inspector and conduct the work in 

 a very incomplete manner as dictated only by their limited knowledge. 

 Perhaps the ignorance prevailing concerning the various phases of milk 

 inspection is accountable for this reliant spirit, yet it is true that cir- 

 cumstances of this nature must not control such a vocation as milk in- 

 spection because in it there is too much involved. The veterinarian on 

 the one hand and the medical man on the other frequently seek out this 

 position in the municipal government as thoroughly competent appli- 

 cants. They do possess certain qualifications belonging to the vocation 

 of dairy inspector, it must be admitted, but, as we shall see later, a 

 practical milk producer perhaps has as many qualifications as either the 

 veterinarian or the medical man. 



Whenever one of these various individuals, veterinarian, physician 

 or dairyman, undertakes to perform the duties of this office, its func- 

 tions immediately turn into the channel well known to the individual. 

 The inspector becomes one sided and the result is that the functions are 

 carried out improperly and only in part. The work of dairy inspection 

 should be placed upon a broader basis, upon a professional basis, and 

 the boundaries should be extended so as to include all parties interested 

 in milk problems. If this is done, it means that it is sufficiently wide 

 in its scope to be recognized as a distinct profession in itself. It is com- 

 monly admitted that dairy inspection is very imperfectly executed and 

 it may be doubted whether at present it is a success at all. Certain 

 knowledge is called for, possessed by no specialist; whether he be physi- 

 cian, veterinarian, chemist, bacteriologist, dairyman or stockman, it mat- 

 ters not. Only one individual presumes to know all the details of dairy 

 inspection, this person is the omniscient ward politician. 



First of all and most important are the two distinct sides which con- 

 stantly hector the milk inspector, that of milk production and milk con- 

 sumption. It devolves upon the inspector to harness these two sides in 

 harmonious operation. To do this an intimate acquaintance with the na- 

 ture and peculiarities of each is absolutely essential. As is usually the 

 case it is rare to find an inspector who is thoroughly conversant with a 

 single side. To stand in a peremptory manner and command or demand 

 what should be done on one side or the other, even going so far as to 

 enact laws to control, must always be farcical; for does it not seem in- 

 credible and impossible to compel the correct production of milk when 

 the ways of escape are so numerous? Commands, demands, laws, there- 

 fore, amount to nothing other than the donning of rich garments on a 



