HANDLING OF MILK 161 



be necessary to interfere considerably with the methods 

 of producing and handling milk as these have gradually 

 developed. Local conditions will have an important in- 

 fluence on the establishment of a system of control and 

 will determine the rapidity with which the various re- 

 quirements can be fulfilled. 



General laws governing the production and handling 

 of milk, are lacking in most countries. Only a few coun- 

 tries (i.e., Portugal in 1900) have enacted such laws and 

 there is not much evidence as to the practical success of 

 these requirements for a whole country. In a large num- 

 ber of the cities of Europe somewhat detailed regula- 

 tions have been adopted in regard to the milk trade ; but 

 these regulations, even in the same country, differ very 

 much. Dresden may be mentioned as an example of a 

 large city with excellent modern regulations for the 

 handling of milk. (Published July 31st, 1900, with 

 amendments of February 26th, 1901.) In order to estab- 

 lish a uniform system in Prussia, the Prussian govern- 

 ment in 1899 published a circular of information to mu- 

 nicipalities with detailed instructions for .a judicious 

 regulation and supervision of the milk trade. In many 

 of the small cities there is either no control at all or a 

 very defective one. 



[The following table from a report by H. E. Alvord 

 and R. A. Pearson on the milk supply of 200 cities and 

 towns in the United States shows the subjects of most 

 frequent legislation in connection with market milk in 

 126 cities, the milk ordinances and regulations of which 

 were examined with especial care. The most popular 

 subjects for legislation are readily seen. 



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