1909 MILK COMMISSION. 17 



comes from a clean and sanitary source, and then follow it up by imposing the same 

 restrictions on the retail distributors. 



"What would be a reasonable standard, and how would you enforce it? 



"We do not think it practicable to make any standard other than what nature 

 determines, and we therefore suggest that all milk should be sold as taken from 

 clean, healthy cows, without adding anything to it or taking anything from it. 



"What would you suggest with regard to the selling of milk only in bottles in 

 stores which also sell groceries and other mixed mechandise? 



"In our opinion all milk sold or exposed for sale should be kept in clean ves- 

 sels on clean premises, and this should be left under the jurisdiction of the Medical 

 Health Officer. 



"What are your views regarding the pasteurization of milk? 



"It is our opinion that if the source of supply and the handling of milk is 

 properly looked after, pasteurization is unnecessary. 



"Have you any suggestions to make as to any improvements in the method of 

 handling milk from the cow to consumer? 



"We consider that all milk that is sent to the retail distributor from the pro- 

 ducer should be sent in sealed cans, and that all milk coming by rail should be 

 shipped in refrigerator cars, and that all milk coming by wagon should be covered/' 



MILK SUPPLY FOR HOSPITALS. 



In all large cities there are large public institutions which get their milk sup- 

 ply direct from the producer, without having it pass through the usual channels 

 of distribution. Such an institution is the Toronto General Hospial, and we beg 

 to refer to the experience of this institution inasmuch as it may have an applica- 

 tion to the larger question of the general supply. The General Hospital uses one 

 hundred gallons a day and pays seventeen cents a gallon. Early in the summer 

 of 1908, Dr. J. N. E. Brown, the Superintendent, began to pay special attention 

 to the purity of the supply. In a statement to your Commission, Dr. Brown said : 

 "I had bacteriological tests made in the laboratory and found the count in some 

 instances went to four or five million per cc. in the warm weather. I immediately 

 made inquiries and investigated the source of supply. I found a barn of the aver- 

 age type aand suggested some improvements in the sanitary arrangements and in 

 the methods of handling, most of which were carried out without adding greatly 

 to the expense or trouble. The result was shown in the bacteria count. Instead 

 of finding millions per cc., the count came down to 600,000 in the hot weather and 

 60,000 in the cooler months. These figures, although still leaving room for im- 

 provement, show marked progress as the result of a little attention. A special sup- 

 ply is furnished for infants, being transported from the farm in ice-cold con- 

 tainers. 



"In addition, I proceeded to ascertain whether hospitals in other large cities 

 were devoting any special attention to the milk supply, and wrote letters to the 

 superintendents of the leading hospitals in American cities. From Cincinnati, I 

 learned that the Milk Commission of the Academy of Medicine there had conducted 

 an enquiry into the milk supply of all the hospitals and had found it far from 

 satisfactory. As a result all the hospitals are now supplied with 'inspected' or 

 'certified' milk and the Milk Commission 'believes no part of its educational cam- 

 paign has brought better results than the bringing before the 'profession a review 

 of the milk supply of the city hospitals/ From Providence, I learned that the 



