769 
examination of over 800 of our dairy cattle during 1898 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 service is appended. * 6 It is enough 
here to describe the milk-inspection service 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 define 
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 
milk products, or a store devoted to the sale of milk and its products, 
and has held the term “ dairy farm ” to mean any premises upon 
which milk is produced for sale. Any place where milk is sold is 
regarded by the law of the District as a dairy for purposes of inspec- 
tion, but not for other purposes.® Permits issued under the provi- 
sions of the act of March 2, 1895, have been issued, therefore, in 
three distinct series: First, permits to maintain dairies within the 
District of Columbia ; second, permits to maintain dairy farms 
within the District of Columbia; third, permits to bring or to send 
milk into the District of Columbia. In order that the records of 
the health department might show the number and the location of 
places from which milk is distributed as distinguished from the 
number and location of places where milk is produced, persons main- 
taining dairy farms within the District of Columbia and distributing 
milk directly to consumers have been regarded as maintaining dairies 
as well as dairy farms and have been required to obtain a permit 
for each purpose. A similar practice has been established with 
respect to persons maintaining dairy farms in adjacent States and 
distributing the milk directly to consumers within the District; 
they have been required to take out permits not merely to bring or 
send milk into the District, but also to obtain permits to maintain 
dairies within the District. In the issue of permits to maintain 
dairies to persons already authorized to bring or to send milk into 
a Bureau of Animal Industry, Bulletin No. 7, published in 1894, page 87. 
6 See page 792. 
c See page 762. 
1414— Bull. 56—09 49 
