168 MILK SURVEY OF THE CITY OF ROCHESTER 



then be upon him to show that his entire supply was free from tuberculosis by the 

 State tuberculin test of his herds, applied by the Veterinary Division of the State 

 Department of Agriculture. 



"For something more than a year past we have worked upon this plan. Mr. 

 Marshall, our Milk Inspector, has been most diligent; our chemist, Mr. Milligan, 

 has pursued this work with enthusiasm; and now at the end of the period which 

 will expire at the close of the current month, we shall have finished the test of the 

 retailers upon this plan. We planned this work to end with the beginning of 

 summer, because the work of the summer milk stations then begins. Vacations 

 also begin, and the summer activities of the Bureau are sufficient to occupy all of. 

 its energies. 



"The plan which you request us to carry out in your letter would involve the 

 test of 500 producers. Estimating for deaths that might occur as a result of 

 acute infections, at least 1,200 guinea pigs would be required in lots of 106 each. 

 New pens and new stock pens would be required. Our centrifugal machine would 

 have to be repaired and a new centrifugal machine provided. New glasses for 

 the centrifugal machine would have to be made, and these in the winter we have 

 never been able to get in less than a month or six weeks. 



"The glass factories are shut down now, and an order could not be placed for 

 them before the 15th of September. We have on hand just one set of glasses. If 

 we should adopt the plan contained in your letter and should work twice as fast, 

 assuming that supplies and apparatus were in readiness, it would take us more than 

 a year to finish the work. 



"The test known as the guinea pig test, with which we are working, is always 

 positive when it is positive; but when it is negative, it does not prove that the 

 cattle tested are free from tuberculosis. In our work thus far, not counting the 

 samples of retailers that we already have under way, and that will be finished by 

 the end of the month, we have tested in round number 1,700, more than 20% of 

 the 8,000 cattle supplying Rochester with milk. More than 200 of these cattle have 

 been killed, i. e., more than 12% of the cattle found infected through our work. 



,"Mr. Marshall, the Milk Inspector, has persuaded 41 of the 58 owners of the 

 herds tested by the guinea pig test, to have their herds tested by the State Veterin- 

 arian, by representing to them the economic value of this test. He has gone to 

 these men and carefully presented the case to them, filled out a form such as the 

 enclosed, and forwarded the form to Albany. 



"All that I have said in this letter of course deals with milk only, and not with 

 cream. The people in Rochester are buying tuberculous cream from cattle kept 

 in the filthiest conditions, from creameries filthy in the extreme, and the large 

 companies who sell cream to the people in this vicinity are getting cream from 

 such places. So far as I have been able to determine, I have not been able to 

 stop this practice. 



"If, after my explanation contained in this letter, you still believe that the 

 work should be carried on as requested in your letter of July 8th, will you not direct 

 by order that the work be so carried on. 



"Respectfully submitted, 



(Signed.) G. W. GOLER, 



"Health Officer." 



That is the way they stopped us. 



Q. Well, Dr. Goler, I understand that as a result of this hearing 

 before Commissioner Owen, it was determined by him that the milk you 



