keep more than one cow and sell to the neighborhood

146

ally added in 100 parts, in the cases analyzed, Least amount of adulteration, water added, in the cases analyzed

41.87

19.25

Whole number of samples of milk analyzed by chemist to date

233

Number of cases pending in the courts at the

date of last report, which still remain un-
settled.

Number of complaints in Municipal Court
Number convicted in the Municipal Court .
Number of complaints to the Grand Jury

Number of bills of indictment by the Grand Jury

2 4

4

6

6

Number of cases convicted in the Superior Court
Number of cases now pending in the Courts
Whole number of complaints in Court to date
Whole number convicted to date

Whole number not convicted

Number of gallons for daily supply of milk for

the city of Boston

6

4

190

119

71

Daily cost to consumers

Number of gallons for supply one year

Cost to consumers one year

20,948

$7,122 32

7,646,020

$2,599,646 80

$110 00

37 94

The expenses of this office have been as follows, viz:

For the analyses of milk.

Stationery, record books, printing, etc.

Inspector's small bills for assistance.

Lactometers and other milk instruments

43 07

$191 01

For violations of the milk law, there have been paid in the Municipal and Superior Courts, fines and costs amounting to .

$206 95

One of the primary duties of this office is to visit all places where complaints have been made, or information given in regard to the quality of the milk, to hear the complaints, to investigate, thoroughly, all matters having a bearing on the subject thereof, and to take such action as shall correct the evil in that particular case, and at the same time produce a wholesome influence, and insure general honesty of dealing in the milk trade, and a high standard in the quality of the milk sold throughout the city. In carrying out this object, stores and shops in all parts of this city where milk is kept for sale, have been visited, and the milk examined; records of which are kept in the office

of the inspector. In many places, the milk is found to be good and pure; in others, quite the reverse; sometimes grossly adulterated, and very inferior in quality. In all such cases, visits are continued until the required improvement is established in the quality of the milk.

It is gratifying to recur to the reiterated testimony of private families, keepers of stores, and parties from the neighboring cities and towns, and even from outside the limits of our own State, to the aid and assistance rendered by this office in cases of adulterated milk during the past year. Many of the complaints above referred to came from persons who assisted in supplying milk to the Boston consumers, and it was considered much easier to check the evil of adulteration in the country than in the city, after the milk had been distributed. In this connection I would observe that a larger number of cases have been analyzed than there have been complaints in court.

In some of these cases the amount of adulteration would not justify a complaint; in others, the analyses were paid for by parties more directly interested, and not within the limits of your inspector.

The following preliminary information will be found useful in this connection before proceeding further:

The contracts for the supply of milk are generally made twice a year, viz: on the first of April and the first of October.

conveyance and sale of milk by

The large cans, which hold nine

The milk cans used for the the dealers, are of two classes. quarts and a pint, are in general use by the milk trade of Worcester County, and by many of those who collect their milk in the towns in the vicinity of Boston. The smaller cans, which hold eight quarts and one half pint, are mostly in use on the Fitchburg, Lowell, and Eastern railroads, and no milkman is con

sidered equipped for business unless he is the owner of two or three full sets of cans, either eights or nines, as above described, sufficient to contain the necessary milk for his daily route, one set being in use, while the others are on their way to the country for a fresh supply.

Many of the milkmen engaged in the family trade have small cans, which hold from a pint to four or even six quarts, which they fill from the larger cans to suit their customers.

The price of milk, this summer, has been about the same as in the year previous, viz: at the farmer's door, from thirty-three to forty-two cents per can, and at the depots in or near the city, after collecting and transporting it, from forty to forty-eight cents. This is sold to stores and shops at from fifty-four to sixty-two cents per can, and retailed in smaller quantities to families at eight cents per quart.

In consequence of increasing professional duties, Dr. James C. White, chemist, felt obliged to discontinue the analyses of milk for this office after having served the city more than six years, and analyzed nearly one hundred and sixty samples of milk; and your inspector acknowledges with pleasure his valuable professional services, and the invariable promptness with which they have been rendered.

APRIL, 1869. The weather this month was cool and pleasant, with but little rain. The supply of milk was fully equal to the demand.

This month has been mostly devoted to inspecting the milk in the Boston Highlands.

The facilities for keeping cows are better there than in any other part of the city, and in this way many of the inhabitants supply themselves and their neighbors; many, however, obtain their milk from the same carriages that furnish families and stores in the south part of the city proper.

There has been but little complaint, in this part of the city, in regard to the quality of the milk during the past year.

MAY was cool and dry, with the exception of a few days in the latter part of the month, when frequent rains and warmer weather caused the season to advance much more rapidly than in the corresponding month of last year. The usual channels for an ample supply of milk appeared open, so that dealers, with few exceptions, had enough and to spare, and not a little was sold to parties in this city at a reduced price for making butter.

By inspection in stores and shops at the north part of the city, the milk proved unusually free from adulteration.

Upon urgent request, James F. Babcock, an experienced chemist of this city, consented to receive samples of milk from this office for analysis, and attend to the duties previously performed by Dr. White.

JUNE opened cool and pleasant, with an ample supply of milk to meet all demands. The middle of the month was unusually cold for the season. The milk dealers were required to make extra exertions to supply the increased demand, in consequence of the many thousands of visitors assembled to attend the Peace Jubilee. The latter part of the month was wet, and the weather continued cool.

It has often been said by those interested, that the month of June is the most favorable for the manufacture of butter. This fact was apparent in my examinations of the milk in the stores and shops at the north and western part of the city, where, in nearly every place, it was found very deficient in cream, and consequently poor and thin, though not much extended by the addition of water.