713 
yses only when the person submitting the sample signifies^ his ability 
to testify that the sample submitted is in the same condition which it 
was when it was left at his residence, and his desire or willingness 
to prosecute the vendor if the sample be found to be of an unlawful 
character. Upon receipt, however, of complaint as to the quality of 
the milk delivered to any individual, whether a consumer or a dealer 
in milk, the department will, if other official business permits and 
the complaint seems to justify such action, collect a sample or sam- 
ples from the suspected vendor through the department’s own agents 
and make the necessary analyses. Examinations of this character for 
dealers in milk are, however, restricted to the smallest possible num- 
ber, since if an}^ other course were adopted the requests from dealers 
for such service would probably be so numerous as to interfere with 
the general work of the department. 
The practice of the department with respect to the analysis of sam- 
ples of milk for dealers works no hardship on the larger dealer, 
since for his own protection from a purely commercial standpoint he 
is or should be prepared to have all milk which he purchases ana- 
lyzed in his own place of business. The smaller dealer can not well 
do this, and to him it would be of advantage if from time to time he 
could obtain analyses of the milk which he purchases, without cost 
or at a reasonable charge. It would be advisable, therefore, to in- 
crease the laboratory facilities of the health department, and to au- 
thorize the analysis of samples of milk and of other foods for rea- 
sonable fees, so that dealers in milk or of other articles of food or of 
drugs might be able better to supervise and control the articles which 
they handle. Fees from such ^a laboratory might be adjusted so as 
to make it self-sustaining and to permit the force of the laboratory to 
be increased, if necessary, in proportion as the work and, therefore, 
the fees increased. By this method the needs of the dealer could be 
met and the regular inspection work of the department need not be 
interfered with. 
In order to reduce to a minimum the time spent in the police 
court by the chemist and his assistant, and by the inspector detailed 
for the collection of samples of milk, and in order to limit the amount 
of clerical work connected with the service, cases are not referred 
daily to the corporation counsel for prosecution, but only at the end 
of each week. The chemist after the close of the week prepares a 
report showing the work done in the chemical laboratory and show- 
ing also the names and addresses of all persons who have sold sam- 
ples of milk or other foods, which during the preceding week have 
been found to be of an unlawful character. On this report the chem- 
ist recommends either that a prosecution be instituted or that it be 
not instituted. The minimum amount of butter fat which milk must 
