CONTROL BY THE STATE 453 



the more enlightened public opinion have not followed very far 

 behind the new knowledge. What is now required in our view is 

 a wider application of the methods and principles which have been 

 found successful in a limited area. 



In the first place, we consider that in a general way, before any 

 new legislation is required, a vigorous and systematic enforcement 

 of the legislation that already exists is of paramount importance. 

 Certain legislation with regard to the management of the milk 

 trade is now permissive or adoptive by local authorities. But many 

 local authorities are suffering from supineness, or lack of interest 

 in the trade, or perhaps too much interest in the trade, and nothing 

 is done, though the statute book contains all that is immediately 

 requisite. We should advocate in this case an enforcement of 

 the existing law. 



In the second place, we hold the view that what has been 

 accomplished by private enterprise demonstrates beyond all possible 

 doubt what is immediately practicable for public opinion to demand 

 from the milk trade. The public demand a pure and ample water 

 supply, because they have learned the evils resulting from an 

 impure and inadequate supply. In the same way we believe that 

 a knowledge of the facts of the case respecting the milk supply, 

 what it is and what it might be, will have a similar effect We 

 are under no illusion as to the evils of impure milk. It has been 

 our duty to point them out in the present volume, though we are 

 aware that they may be readily exaggerated. The milk supply is 

 not as important a matter as the water supply, and it is incorrect 

 to suggest that it is. Nor can an impure milk supply have such 

 wide-spread ill effect as a bad water supply. Nor do many of the 

 bacteria in milk appear to have any bad effect on persons consum- 

 ing it. The matter must be judged on the broad facts of the 

 case ; and these, we think, may be reduced to a very simple 

 proposition. The milk supply, as a whole, is not at present under 

 strict control, and much second-rate milk, and some actually diseased 

 milk, is sold to the prejudice and injury of the purchaser. The 

 public should know this, and should also know that with care and 

 management and some systematising of control, this state of things 

 can be at once corrected. The aim to be kept continually in view 

 is a pure milk supply — a clean milk, of good quality ; from healthy 

 cows ; properly strained and cooled, and protected from infection 

 and contamination. 



These chapters are divided substantially into three main portions. 

 The first deals with what has already been done by the State in 



