Fabian Tract Volume 1, PT. 137 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 Excerpt: ...provide their citizens with water: why should they not also provide them with milk? The arguments in favor of municipal water apply with greater force to municipal milk. We want municipal dairy farms in the country, managed by dairy experts, and supervised by medical officers and veterinary inspectors. We want carefully selected, healthy cows to give us milk; and we want them kept under proper conditions. On our municipal dairy farms we could see that these conditions were fulfilled. A municipality would have no interest in adding dirty water to milk to make two gallons look like three. Milk municipalization would be a comparatively simple business. No powerful companies would have to be bought, and no question of compensation for loss of licence could arise. Milk production does not require the use of complicated and costly machinery. The milk trade pays well, and its concentration would give rise to an increased economy in working. We should get cheaper as well as better milk. On the municipal farms we could insist that the laborers were paid a fair rate of wages. Much could be done in this way to improve the condition of the agricultural laborer, and thus to check the rush to the towns. Several municipalities are already engaged in the milk trade. Nottingham, for instance, keeps 100 milch cows and supplies milk to its own hospitals. The right way is to begin with public institutions. But we shall have to go much further when the public realizes the extent to which cruelty, dishonesty, disease and death are involved in the present method of the milk supply. LIST OF AUTHORITIES. 'A Report on the Influence of Milk in Spreading Zymotic Disease." ERNEST Hart (British Medical Journal. May 8th, 15th, 22nd, 1897).--"The Improvement of the Milk Supply a...