NEW YORK MILK COMMITTEE 63 



February 15, 1893, provides for cooperation of the Public 

 Health and Marine Hospital Service with State and municipal 

 authorities to prevent the spread of such diseases from one 

 state or territory to another, and authorizes the Secretary of 

 the Treasury to issue such regulations as may be necessary to 

 prevent such spread. When issued, these regulations may be 

 enforced by the state authorities, but if they fail or refuse, the 

 President may take such measures as may be necessary to en- 

 force them. Certain of the states likewise have laws author- 

 izing the promulgation of regulations for the protection of life 

 and health within their borders and providing penalties for 

 their violation. Under these laws and others that may by ex- 

 perience be shown to be necessary, and through the confer- 

 ences of state health authorities with the Public Health and 

 Marine Hospital Service, uniform and efficient measures should 

 be decided upon for the prevention of the spread of contagious 

 and infectious diseases through public milk supplies. 



Many of the state health authorities, on the other hand, are 

 required to hold conferences with the municipal health author- 

 ities ; and through this means, municipalities should be able to 

 secure uniformity of methods, and state aid. Combined ac- 

 tion on the part of the several agencies mentioned should bring 

 about tuberculin testing of cattle, frequent and rigid medical 

 inspections of dairy employees and those handling milk, and 

 eventually a much more efficient sanitary service for the coun- 

 try at large. The inspections should be systematically made 

 by local health officers, and their efficiency insured by the 

 states. If a particular district failed or refused to conform 

 to the regulations, it would appear to me to be practicable 

 under federal law to prevent the shipment in inter-state traffic 

 of suspected milk from those localities. Until some such pro- 

 vision is made, it will be impracticable to prevent the sale in 

 one municipality of milk condemned by another municipality, 

 at least in some form or other. In the meantime, no adequate 

 protection can be had against such practice, and the dangers 

 it involves, except through pasteurization under official super- 

 vision. 



Finally, in suggesting reciprocity among the communities 

 and states, as one means of securing an efficient sanitary in- 

 spection, I am not unmindful of the difficulties that will arise. 



