THE MILK SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 49 



above suspicion, subject it to a process of purification by bringing it 

 to the boiling point, cooling it immediately thereafter, and keeping it 

 on ice; and that no dairy farm should be permitted to supply milk 

 ot a higher class than that for which a permit has been issued and 

 each dairy farm supplying milk of the specified class be separate 

 and distinct from any dairy farm of a different class. 



RECOMMENDATIONS OF WASHINGTON MILK CONFERENCE INDORSED. 



The recommendations of the Washington milk conference were 

 indorsed by the commission of experts, who by direction of President 

 Roosevelt conducted an investigation, the results of which were pub- 

 lished in a report entitled "Milk and its Relation to the Public 

 Health," issued in January, 1908, by the Public Health and Marine- 

 Hospital Service, 1 a revised edition being published in January, 

 1910. 2 This commission was composed of officials from the Depart- 

 partment of Agriculture and the Public Health and Marine-Hospital 

 Service. Dr. Woodward, health officer of the District, also partici- 

 pated in its deliberations. 



FOOD AND DRUGS ACT, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 



On February 17, 1898, a measure was enacted by Congress entitled 

 "An act relating to the adulteration of foods and drugs in the Dis- 

 trict of Columbia (Appendix R)." By the terms of this act the 

 prescribed chemical composition of milk offered for sale in the Dis- 

 trict was amended by raising the minimum allowable amount of 

 butter fat in whole milk to 3| per cent, and the total solids in whole 

 milk to 12^ per cent and requiring a minimum of 20 per cent of 

 butter fat in the chemical composition of cream. 



PROPOSED ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION. 



With the exception of the legislation here mentioned, all attempts 

 to secure favorable action by Congress on measures calculated to 

 compel the adoption of improved sanitary methods in the handling 

 of milk have failed, principally through opposition on the part of 

 milk producers and dealers. As late as January 10, 1910, a bill 

 (S. 4986) (Appendix S) was introduced in the Senate by Mr. 

 Gallinger, chairman of the Committee on the District of Columbia, 

 " To protect the public health by regulating the production and sale 

 of milk, cream, and ice cream in and for the District of Columbia," 

 embracing among its provisions the empowering of the District com- 

 missioners to promulgate and amend from time to time such regu- 

 lations as, in their judgment, may be necessary to fix the class and 

 standards and the condition and manner under which milk, cream, 

 and ice cream must be produced, manufactured, transported, and 

 sold in this jurisdiction; also inhibiting the use of false or mis- 

 leading labels, advertisements, or other means intended to deceive 

 the purchaser. The bill was referred to the Committee on the Dis- 

 trict of Columbia, from which it failed of report. A bill with identi- 



1 Bulletin No. 41, Hygienic Laboratory, IT. S. Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service. 

 * Bulletin No. 56, Hygienic Laboratory, U. S. Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service. 



82444 S. Doc. 863, 61-3 4 



