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 102 . CONFERENCE ON MILK PROBLEMS 



these two difficulties cannot be fully met, and an arbitrary line 

 of division must be drawn. 



Whether or not the preceding statements have been made 

 with satisfactory clearness, time does not permit a more de- 

 tailed discussion of the points touched. 



We will now consider some of the valid objections that may 

 reasonably be brought against the adulteration of our legal 

 definition of pure milk, by which the minimum requirement of 

 12 per cent of milk-solids has been degraded to 11.50 per cent. 



(1) It makes not merely possible but inevitable an increased 

 opportunity for the manipulation of normal milk by means of 

 watering, removal of cream and treatment with skimmilk. It 

 is therefore directly and chiefly in the interests of those who 

 are engaged in the business of manipulating milk after it leaves 

 the hands of the producer and before it reaches the consumer. 

 For example, under the requirement of 12 per cent solids, it re- 

 quires, in the case of normal milk containing 5 per cent of fat 

 and 14.5 per cent of solids, the addition of 21 pounds of water 

 to 100 pounds of milk to reduce the percentage of solids below 

 12; under the 11.50 per cent requirement, 26 pounds of water 

 can be added to 100 pounds of such normal milk before the 

 percentage of solids is reduced to 11.50 per cent. In the case 

 of normal milk containing 4 per cent of fat and 13 per cent 

 of solids, it is necessary to add 8 pounds of water to 100 

 pounds of milk before the percentage of solids is reduced to 12, 

 but 13 pounds of water before 11.50 per cent of solids is 

 reached. Stated in more general terms, the reduction of the 

 legal requirement for milk solids from 12 to 11.50 per cent 

 means that in milks above average composition it permits the 

 addition of about 5 pounds more of water per 100 pounds of 

 milk. 



(2) If we are permitted to base a judgment upon all past 

 experience, this opportunity for increased manipulation of 

 normal milk will not be wholly neglected, and we are justified 

 in looking for definite deterioration in the composition of much 

 of our ordinary market milk. 



(3) Producers will be encouraged and justified in going still 

 further in the production of as much milk as possible which is 

 just above the legal limit of 11.50 per cent of solids. The 

 production of any article of good grade has never been en- 



