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 r^lgiit\^5gS^^Ht 

 142,860. In 1907 only 10.59 per /fa^t^of the samples \ 

 showed a bacterial count of less 

 centimeter, whereas in 191 8 48 



ubi 



c j 

 m ^tljis / 



an 10,00© 

 Mt fell 

 group.' The death rate per thous^id/4noi&^^^^gffkS^^ - 

 has been decreasing rather rapidly, a^i£/^a(f^,Hf^^js^de- 

 crease is very generally ascribed to the improvement in 

 the milk supply.* 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 



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

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



