20 THE MILK QUESTION 



The cans are often placed on the farm wagon and carted 

 several miles to the nearest railroad station, where they 

 stand some time in the sun and occasionally are exposed to 

 dust, flies, and prying fingers of irresponsible persons. 

 After this they are loaded on the milk car, which is perhaps 

 warm. Arriving in the city, the cans again stand around 

 the milk platform waiting for the city wagon, when they are 

 carted to the city dairy. Here they are opened, the milk is 

 tasted and smelled, and poured into a large vat, where the 

 contents of the can is mixed with the milk from numerous 

 other cans. From this vat the milk is pumped to a clarifier, 

 where much of the dirt and slime is removed. From there 

 it may pass through other processes before it is cooled and 

 bottled. The bottle may not have been properly cleansed 

 and sterilized. This bottle is placed upon a wagon and car- 

 ried to the householder, who thus receives milk that is 

 several days old, has been frequently handled, has come 

 in contact with a number of different containers and ma- 

 chines, and has had a good chance to deteriorate as well as 

 to collect various kinds of dirt, with the possibility of pick- 

 ing up infection. City milk, stale, dirty, and bacteria- 

 laden, is therefore a very different article from the fresh 

 country brand. 



The farmer further forgets that his child has a greater 

 resistance to infection than the city child. Reared in God's 

 sunshine, with plenty of fresh air and under natural condi- 

 tions, it can cope with dangers that may be fatal to the pale, 

 flabby tenement baby. 



Where the ilame lies 



There is a tendency on the part of the consumer to 

 blame the producer. On the other hand, the producer 

 blames the consumer; whilst the middleman points an ac- 

 cusing finger at both the consumer and the producer. The 

 health officer blames all three. This is an unfortunate 

 state of affairs based upon ignorance of the real situation. 



