THE CONTROL OF MILK-SUPPLIES 



ATTEMPTS at regulating public milk-supplies were made long 

 before modern sanitary science became established. In 1599 the 

 Senate of Vienna forbade the sale of milk, butter, and cheese for 

 a time on account of an. epidemic which was believed to originate 

 from dairy products. In an encyclopedia in 1739 the first intima- 

 tion of cleanly proceedings appeared. "Milk from old cows or 

 cows raised for beef is not good; good milk is either white or yel- 

 low, not green or blue; cows must be properly fed and the straw 

 must be clean; milk maids must keep themselves clean; utensils 

 must be kept clean and after milking the milk should be filtered 

 through a cloth; uncleanly milk turns sour." In Paris in 1743 

 a milk ordinance was passed which regulated the feeding of cows, 

 goats, and asses. An attempt at hygienic milk production was 

 made by John Peter Frank near the end of the 18th century, as 

 is indicated by the following extract: "Milk should not be handled 

 in vessels of zinc, lead, copper, or brass. In Paris, where milk is 

 handled in copper vessels, whole families have perished from 

 poisoning with verdigris." The same author calls attention to 

 sanitary conditions in cow stables, and quotes a case where a 

 cow was bitten by a mad dog as a result of which a farmer and his 

 family contracted rabies. The lactometer was introduced by 

 Cadez de Waux. Another sign of progress came in the passing 

 of a milk ordinance in Hamburg in 1818. In 1842 a book was 

 published by Hartley, who lost a child and ascribed its death to 

 impure milk. It was published in New York and is entitled 

 "An Historical, Scientific, and Practical Essay on Milk, as an 

 Article of Human Sustenance; with consideration of the effects 

 consequent upon the present unnatural methods of producing it 

 for the supply of large cities." Recently a great impetus was 

 given dairy development in this country by Dr. Coit's plan for 

 certified milk. 



Meat and food inspection was commenced earlier than milk 

 inspection and is more efficient at the present time. It is true 

 that milk control involves unique difficulties, as milk is usually 

 consumed twenty-four to forty-eight hours after production, while 

 meat and other foods are held for considerable periods. When 

 meat and other foods are found unfit for consumption there is 

 time enough to eliminate the offending lots, but milk has been 

 consumed by the time its quality has been determined. There- 

 fore milk control must cover a large field of inquiry, and can be 



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