286 THE MILK QUESTION 



order to sell a penny's worth. Flies swarmed in and out 

 between the sick-room and the little store. The rest of the 

 picture may readily be imagined. 



Labeling 



All milk bottles and all milk cans should be plainly and 

 honestly labeled. This would go a long way to solve some 

 of the knotty points in the milk question. The label should 

 state the grade of milk (that is, whether certified, inspected, 

 pasteurized, skimmed, etc.), and should state the approxi- 

 mate fat content (within 0.2 per cent) ; if heated, the label 

 should state the temperature, time, and date at which the 

 process was done; it should give the name of the dairy, 

 whether the milk is from tuberculin-tested cows, and other 

 pertinent information. 



With honest labeling milk could be bought and sold at 

 prices varying with its sanitary grade and nutritive con- 

 tent. To my thinking, honest labeling is one of the most 

 important foundation stones for the whole pure food struc- 

 ture. In the long run dealers will find it to their advantage 

 to tell the purchaser just what he is buying. 



When milk is labeled with the date of bottling or the 

 date of pasteurization, then the simple act of placing it in 

 new bottles or pasteurizing it gives it a new lease of life. 

 The only date of real value to the consumer is the date of 

 production. On account of inherent difficulties only certi- 

 fied milk and inspected milk are ordinarily so dated: for 

 market milk and pasteurized milk we must, for the present, 

 be satisfied with the date of bottling or heating. 



The transportation of milk 



The fact that milk must be transported is annoying and 

 adds to the difficulties of the situation, for nature never 

 intended milk to see the light of day. Special arrangements 

 for transporting it quickly and with due regard for the 

 sanitary requirements are absolutely essential. If the milk 



