140 THE MILK SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 



through existing commercial agencies than by the maintenance of the 

 local Straus Pasteurizing Laboratory. 



48. That in the event that the local Straus Infants' Milk Depot be 

 not continued as a charity, a fund be liberally supported by the pub- 

 lic, perhaps aided by congressional appropriations, from which modi- 

 fied milk or other proper food for infants among the indigent classes 

 may be furnished. Such fund could perhaps be best administered in 

 connection with existing agencies such as the diet kitchen, the Citi- 

 zen's Relief Association, the Associated Charities, and the Instruc- 

 tive Visiting Nurse Society. 



49. That in the judgment of the committee it is better to purchase 

 milk already pasteurized under competent supervision from infants' 

 milk depots or from properly equipped commercial establishments, 

 than to attempt its pasteurization at home in apparatus of which 

 several economical patterns are obtainable on the market. 



50. That every encouragement should be extended by the residents 

 of Washington to the Instructive Visiting Nurse Society, which is, 

 through giving practical instructions to parents and others at the 

 home of the infant concerning its proper feeding, bathing, clothing, 

 etc., accomplishing marvelous results in reducing infant mortality in 

 the District of Columbia, and that every facility be offered for the 

 instruction of mothers in caring for their infants. 



51. That the excellent work being done by what are known as 

 " settlement houses " in educating the indigent classes to a proper 

 recognition of the value of appropriate food for infants' use, and in 

 otherwise encouraging the proper treatment and development of in- 

 fants of the dependent poor, be liberally assisted by our citizens. 



52. That mothers, regardless of their financial or social status, be 

 encouraged in every possible way to nurse their infants, it having 

 been conclusively proved by extended series of careful investigations, 

 that the mortality among bottle-fed infants is vastly greater than 

 among those that are breast fed. 



53. That when breast feeding is clearly impossible, however, a ful- 

 some supply of pure cow's milk, modified to meet the special needs 

 of the infant, be rendered available for both rich and poor, and that 

 mothers be instructed in the same connection regarding the special 

 requirements necessary to successful artificial feeding. 



53J. That the President of the United States be requested to direct 

 the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Public Health and 

 Marine-Hospital Service of the Treasury Department in cooperation, 

 to investigate the relative value of raw and pasteurized milk for in- 

 fant feeding, with a view to arriving at a finally authoritative settle- 

 ment of this controversial subject among sanitarians and physicians 

 generally. It is believed that the solution of this question as regards 

 infant feeding would also have an important influence in determining 

 the relative merits of raw and pasteurized milk for adult con- 

 sumption. 



54. That the precautions concerning the care of milk in the home, 

 suggested on pages 116 to 118, inclusive, of this report, be diligently 

 observed by consumers of milk. 



55. That milk intended for use in preparing milk products, namely, 

 butter, buttermilk, cheese, ice cream, and oleomargarine, be required 

 to comply with the stipulations herein specified for milk in its raw or 

 pasteurized state. 



