IMPROVEMENT OF THE MILK SUPPLY 53 



bacteria per cubic centimeter and the pasteurized 944,465. 

 It is probable that practically all bacteria in the vege- 

 tative condition (this includes all pathogenic organisms) 

 were destroyed. 



At the present time the Bureau of Municipal Research 

 has charge of the pure-milk crusade, and the lowering of 

 the infant death rate in New York City. During some 

 of the hot weeks of the summer of 191 1 the Bureau had 

 about 5000 babies imder its direct care. 



Seventy-five milk depots form the centers from which 

 this extensive work is carried on. At the depots are 250 

 trained nurses who distribute sanitary milk, prescribe for 

 babies and advise and teach mothers how to feed and 

 care for their children. Physicians are in attendance at 

 the depots at certain hours during the day to attend to 

 the more serious cases. 146 visiting nurses go to the 

 houses where there are young children, and teach the 

 mothers home sanitation, and influence them to procure 

 from the depot whatever milk may be necessary for the 

 children. 



It is here demonstrated that the distribution of clean 

 milk combined with the education of mothers is one of 

 the most economical and efficient methods of reducing 

 infant mortality. 



Milk Depots in Other Cities. — The first definite im- 

 provements in any milk supply were made by a few insti- 

 tutions that prepared and dispensed a sanitary product 

 for infant feeding. Probably the first of these institu- 

 tions in this country was the Eastern Dispensary of New 

 York City, which, in 1889, dispensed sanitary milk for 

 infant feeding. 



Since that time, about three hundred infants' milk 

 depots, as they have come to be known, have been opened 



