EXTENT AND IMPORTANCE OF THIS INDUSTRY 31 



but the number that die from the effects of milk which 

 has been contaminated with undesirable ferments is 

 greater. 



The death rate of any city shows that more children die 

 during July and August than at any other time of the year, 

 and that a large percentage of these deaths are due to in- 

 testinal troubles. In general, 90 per cent of the infants 

 that die are artificially fed. 



Balestre and Gileta de St. Joseph, in France, showed that 

 from 1892 to 1897 in every 1000 infant deaths under one 

 year of age, 385 were due to gastro-intestinal diseases. 

 This was the average for the whole country. The number 

 of deaths from this cause in Troyes, in 1892, was 700 per 

 1000. 



In 42 cities of Germany, in 1906, the average infantile 

 death rate was 198 per 1000 births. Of these, 44 per cent 

 were due to diarrhea. 



The relation between infant mortality and city milk 

 supply is becoming generally understood among medical 

 men. The high infantile death rate, especially during the 

 summer months, should not, of course, be charged wholly 

 to a poor milk supply. Undoubtedly this is simply one 

 factor which conspires with others to cause the high in- 

 fantile death rate. 



In New York City, it was early recognized by the health 

 authorities that some system of regulation of the milk 

 supply must be estabhshed. The first ruling established 

 a standard for the composition of dairy products. In 

 1902 the New York City Department of Health made a 

 comprehensive investigation of the conditions surround- 

 ing the production, transportation and distribution of the 

 milk supply. The market milk was, as a rule, from a 

 sanitary point of view, in a bad condition. 



