CLEAN MILK 183 



of the license becomes an essential part of the system of 

 milk inspection. 



The milk license or permit 



It seems just as important to license persons engaged 

 in the milk industry as it is to license plumbers, under- 

 takers, or trained nurses; in fact, to the sanitarian the 

 dangers from bad milk are much more frequent and serious 

 than the dangers from defective plumbing and that old 

 fetish, sewer-gas. Licenses should be issued and required 

 of all those who produce or deal in milk. From the stand- 

 point of out-of-state milk it is especially important to li- 

 cense the dealer, and then permit him to sell only such milk 

 as has been produced and handled in accordance with the 

 sanitary requirements, whether within or without the state. 

 A chauffeur cannot run an automobile without a license, 

 and is not licensed until he can demonstrate to the satis- 

 faction of somebody that he is reasonably competent. 

 Automobile accidents are very obvious, and the public is 

 careful to take measures to prevent them. Would it not 

 be just as reasonable and much more necessary to license 

 persons who endanger life and health through mUk? It is 

 true these dangers are not so obvious, but they are just as 

 real and just as serious. 



Several cities have successfully inaugurated a license or 

 permit system, notably New York City and Washington, 

 D.C. In these cities the registration or permit system has 

 proved itself exceedingly valuable and has demonstrated 

 its many advantages. It centralizes in convenient form all 

 the information concerning the milk industry, it keeps 

 track of the number, size, location, and other factors con- 

 cerning each dairy, it facilitates the early recognition of 

 epidemics, and is very helpful in discovering their cause. 

 In addition to the many other advantages it may even 

 prove a source of revenue. It seems, however, unjust to 

 charge more than a nominal sum for the license, for the 



