700 
of the law had to rely upon the inspectors already provided for 
the sanitary and food inspection service generally, and upon the 
allotment made “by the Commissioners for the contingent expenses 
of the health department from the general appropriation for that 
purpose. The health department had no veterinary surgeon in its 
employ, and for such assistance as was needed in the way of inspec- 
tions requiring the education and training of a veterinarian had to 
rely upon the veterinary surgeon employed by the District govern- 
ment, at a salary of $400 per annum, for all departments of the Dis- 
trict government. The situation of the health department iinder the 
circumstances was most unfortunate; errors that were made in the 
early days of the service because of an insufficient and untrained 
inspection force have come up from time to time to embarrass the 
department, and have been corrected with difficulty, if at all. 
The conditions found as the result of such early inspections as were 
made showed in many cases entire ignorance of even the most rudi- 
mentary sanitary principles connected with the production and mar- 
keting of milk. The stables were small, poorly lighted, and poorly 
drained. Many of the producers of milk had no idea of the impor- 
tance of cooling it immediately after milking, and sometimes did not 
hesitate to store it in living rooms and kitchens.® The condition of 
the cattle can be best understood from the statement made by Doctor 
Schroeder, of the Bureau of Animal Industry, as the result of the 
examination of over 800 of our dairy cattle during 1893 and 1894, 
that between 5 and 6 per cent had defective udders. * & Those who are 
sometimes inclined now to criticise existing conditions would be able 
to do so more intelligently and fairly were they familiar with the 
conditions found in the early days of the milk-inspection service. No 
good purpose would be served by here recounting at length the 
various steps taken for the improvement of the service that was 
established. It is sufficient to say that improvement generally has 
been possible only as appropriations have been made by Congress to 
bring them about, and that requests for such appropriations have not 
always met with favorable response. A statement showing the 
growth of the milk-inspection serAnce is appended.® It is enough 
here to describe the milk-inspection sertdce as it now exists. 
The law regulating the sale of milk in the District of Columbia 
prohibits the maintenance of a dairy or a dairy farm within the 
District without a permit from the health officer. It does not de- 
fine what a dairy or a dairy farm is. In practice, the health depart- 
ment has held the term “ dairy ” to mean the business arising from 
a Report of the Health Officer, 1896, page 21. 
6 Bureau of Animal Industry, Bulletin No. 7, published in 1894, page 87. 
c See page 723. 
