CERTIFIED MILK 57 



The First Medical Milk Commission. — In the year 1890 

 the Medical Society of New Jersey started a movement to 

 effect an improvement in the milk supply, which resulted 

 in the formation of " The Medical Milk Commission of 

 Essex County, New Jersey." Since that time many others 

 have been formed in various cities upon a similar plan. 



Milk Commissions. — A milk commission usually con- 

 sists of from 5 to 12 men, as a rule physicians, but some- 

 times including business men who are interested in the 

 welfare of the city. This board serves without pay; but 

 the chemist, bacteriologist and veterinarian, who do the 

 inspecting, commonly receive a fee. The first commission 

 and several of the later ones formed contracts with the 

 producers, wherein were exact specifications for all the 

 details of the dairy and its management. However, most 

 of the present-day commissions simply fix the required 

 standard and leave the details of the work to the dairy- 

 men's judgment. The conditions surrounding the pro- 

 duction and handling of the milk are necessarily about as 

 good as the commission could demand, or it would not be 

 possible to keep the milk up to the high standard required. 



Requirements of the Milk Commission of New York 

 City. — In New York City no contract is made with the 

 dairymen, but a circular is sent them giving information 

 concerning the production, standards and general re- 

 quirements of certified milk. This circular reads as 

 follows : 



The commission has fixed upon a maximum of 30,000 

 germs of all kinds per cubic centimeter of milk, which 

 must not be exceeded to obtain the endorsement of the 

 commission. This standard must be attained solely by 

 measures directed toward scrupulous cleanliness, proper 

 cooling, and prompt dehvery. 



