View report page

and unclean, and therefore dangerous to the health
of those, partaking of it, more especially infants,
young children and invalids. This long interval
which is the same in summer as in winter, necessitates
the use of preservatives to some extent, and that is
another question.
As matters are now, so they have been for
years and years, and as milk is a necessity, and
must be produced in the country and not in towns,
what is needed is universal compulsory — not
optional — inspection of cows, sheds, means of
transit, and generally of all that is included in the
term "handling." The key to safety is "greater
cleanliness," and that can only be ensured by the
authorities enforcing it on those who deal in it, and
educating them to the necessity for these measures ;
but it is with the consumers after all that the
matter mainly rests. Let them—the public, for
all are consumers—get rid of their apathy, and
demand that they be given pure, clean and
wholesome milk, and it will be forthcoming.
A word of caution bv way of reminder to the
inhabitants here, the very large majority of whom
are not in any sense old residents. Since I have
held office, we have had five or six distinct outbreaks
of illness due to infected milk, in some
instances with fatal results, and all these were
preventable ; they were detected and traced
approximately, and absolutely in some cases, to
16