PURE MILK FOR THE CHILDREN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3149, 30 July 1917, Page 3

PURE MILK FOR THE CHILDREN

DENMARK'S EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD

GLIMPSE OF AN IDEAL SYSTEM Now that the all-important question of a pure milk; supply ior Wellington is miller consideration by the City Council, an article dealing with the milk supply in England, which appears in "'iho World's Work," by Marion Jameson, and entitled "Tile Cry of the Children for Pure Milk," is worthy of more than passing notice. The writer makes a strong plea for moro intelligent and . cleanly methods of handlincc and distribution in /Jingland, and turns to Denmark ior example and guidance. "It is left to little Denmark to hear the cry of the children," the writer proceeds. "She has attained a distinction of which any nation might be proud—she ensures to her young children the daily, yearly supply of pure milk. Since more than half "bi the farms of Denmark are associated with the co-operative dairies, it follows that ideal conditions for\ milking must obtain practically throughout the country. "Copenhagen shudders at the word 'preservatives' and smiles at 'pasteurisation.' It has been proved that the pasteurisation of milk is often an unsatisfactory process. Tho conditions demanded ior it are impassible under ordinary circumstances, and if the conditions be not observed it may prove far more dangerous an article of diet than raw unsterilised milk. Pasteurised milkputrifies; if it be boiled by the consumer it may produce dangerous symptoms." In Copenhagen one of the largest milk companies distributes pure, un'pasteurised milk at a very moderate charge, and the eft'eci* are seen in the very noticeable decrease in infantile mortality since 1880. Milking and Distribution. The writer tells us that in Denmark the cow's are examined by veterinary surgeons twice a' month; twice a. year they are tested with tuberculin. The condition of the cowsheds, tho fodder, and tho niilk-pails are also reported on by tho veterinary surgeons. "The cows are never milked in the sheds; in the summer they are milked in the fields, where carts are stationed to carry the milk immediately to tho refrigerators; in the winter they are milked in scrupulously clean rooms set apart entirely for the purpose. Even the milk-pails are specially constructed; they rest in an outer receptacle filled with crushed ice and salt, and in this way the milk loses its cow-heat, micro-organisms do not develop, and the milk keeps sweet longer than three days." Can anyone imagine some of the Wellington milk keeping sweet "longer than three days"? Happy Copenhagen. That portion of tho article which deals w.ith the distribution of the milk in the city of Copenhagen, however, is of most interest to Wellington. The distribution" is apparently largely in; the hands of 'the Copenhagen Milk Supply Company, whose premises are situated at Frederiksbcrg, a suburb of Copenhagen. Tho milk begjn,s to arrive at the company's premises at about 9 p.m. It is immediately sampled for analysis, tasted, and its temperature noted. The milk is then placed in the cans (as they aro) in large ice tanks, and remains there until next morning, when it is run through a filter and tapped off into tho vessels in which it is to be taken round the city. Milk for children receives special attention, 'precautions being taken to secure its absolute purity; it is then refiltered and bottled.

The description of the process of filtering is interesting. "The filter consists of two enamelled iron tanks placed at different "levels; in the bottom tank are three layers of gravel, that in the lowest layer about half the size of a pea, in the middle layer somewhat smaller, and in the third or top a little larger than a pin's head. The layers are separated from each other by perforated tin trays, and on the top of the uppermost layer of gravel are six layers of fino cloth." It is explained thati the gravel is cleaned by boiling and stirring it about in hot water and soda until tho water comes off quite clean; it is then steamed at a temperature of about 302 deg. Fahrenheit. Milk is delivered to the consumer in two ways. First there is the sealed "bottle method. "In the bottling room tho milk is led by a pipe into a machine similar to that used for bottling beer. ... A skilled bottler fills clear glass bottles, each of which holds an imperial pint; as these are filled they are passed on to a woman, who corks them by machinery, and then hands them on. to the sealers." The writer notes the difference between the "sealed" milk bottle of Denmark and that of England, whe'ro the milk is "sealed" with a small cardboard dh>c placed in the mouth of the bottle, which a dishonest dairyman can easily replace. "That dreadful,, grey, can" of the ordinary English dairy is unknown in Denmark. The other method of delivery is from cans, which are locked in a specially-construct-ed van, from which the milk can only be drawn through dust-proof taps. "The men in charge of the vans cannot tamper with the milk at all." The.sealed bottles of children's milk, cream, etc., aro carried in another part 'of tho vehicle in trays containing crushed ice. Absolute Cleanliness. As may be expected, cleanliness is- the first essential all through this modern establishment. Tho cleansing process which the cans, bottles, and the building itself undergo is described in detail. As to the employees, "the personal cleanliness of tho workers is no less insisted on; 6ho\ter baths are provided, and tho employees are expected to use them every morning; their clothes are constantly changed, and if any infectious disease occurs in any of the workers it is at oiico reported. Very wisely tho workers are paid full wages while they were on the sick-list, and thus there is no fear of detection or attempted concealment of the complaint." And further: "In such a large establishment there must be tho most absolute discipline; promotion goes "by merit and not by favour, and the slightest deviation frois regulations is visited by the most severe punishment, In the form of degradation or dismissal, and attention to the rules is ensued, as Jar as possible, by giving a premium to those who obey them to the letter." It might be expected that such care and cleanliness would add considerably to the price of milk to the consumer. But we are informed that milk delivered from this establishment costs about half as much as Londoners pay; and cream is sold in Denmark for Is. 6d. a quart (an outside price), against 4s. a quart in London. There are difficulties at times in thoroughly carrying out the "entente eordiale" between the French soldiers, and their entertainers through a want of knowledge of the two languages, but thero are always ways of surmounting it, as was evidenced at the Soldiers' Club in Sydney Street on Saturday evening. One provident girl, whose knowledge of French was elusive, had brought with her a French text book, and as a result a littlo group of four was to be seen seated on a couch, of which a French soldier was tho centre-piece, all holding an animated, if somewhat erratic, conversation through its means. It answered the purposo finite admirably and afforded much entcrtain-f ment to all concerned, which, after all. was the main thing.