MILK AS A MARKET COMMODITY 31 



Though such a multitude of regulations undoubtedly 

 hampers the producers and distributors, and though many 

 of them are doubtless superfluous, the results of public con- 

 trol amply justify any incumbrances placed on the milk 

 business. A few rather striking examples may serve to 

 illustrate this point. The results of milk inspection in Ith- 

 aca, New York, show that whereas in 1907 the aver- 

 age bacterial count of milk examined was 760,250 per 

 cubic centimeter, in 1914 the average count was but 

 142,860. In 1907 only 10.59 P er cent f tne samples 

 showed a bacterial count of less than 10,000 per cubic 

 centimeter, whereas in 1918 48 per cent fell in this 

 group. 1 The death rate per thousand in New York City 

 has been decreasing rather rapidly, and part of this de- 

 crease is very generally ascribed to the improvement in 

 the milk supply. 2 The following figures are given: 



TABLE XI 



Decrease in Infant Mortality in New York City, 1891-1916 



In addition to this increased safety given by public con- 

 trol there is the gain from a decrease in the amount of 

 adulteration and from a general improvement in the milk 



1 International Association of Dairy and Milk Inspectors, 1915, p. 157. 



2 Straus, Lina G., Disease in Milk, pp. 90-91. 



