All communications relating to the publications of the Department of Health should be addressed to the Commissioner of Health, 149 Centre Street, New York Entered as second-class matter May 7, 1913, at the post office at New York, N. Y., NEW SERIES. VOL. II. SEPTEMBER 13, 1913. No. 37 ENFORCEMENT OF THE NEW BAKERY LAW. The main features of the new bakery law were published in the Weekly Bulletin of the Department of Health June 21, 1913. The active enforcement of this law is now in operation. On September 4 2,952 copies of the bakery law were delivered to a corresponding number of bakeshops in the city, and at the same time return postal cards were forwarded in order to insure the department that the copy of the law had in each case been received. A letter was also enclosed, calling the attention of the bakers to the necessity of familiarizing themselves with the new law and with new conditions. The letter was as follows: "Official Notice to Bakers. "Herewith is forwarded to you for your information a copy of article 8 of the Labor Law, which is in effect in The City of New York at the present time, governing the maintenance of bakeries in this city. It is necessary that you carefully read this law and familiarize yourself with all its provisions. You will please sign the enclosed postal card as having received copy of the bakery law from the Department of Health and fill out the enclosed application for sanitary certificate and return both without delay to the Department of Health. "You are hereby informed that applications for sanitary certificates covering the requirements of this law are to be made to the Department of Health not later than September 9, 1913. One of the requisites necessary in obtaining sanitary certificates is that all bakers must be physically examined. Enclosed is a list of clinics where the employees of bakeries will be examined. It will be necessary for you to report for this examination to the clinic nearest to your place of business. "The Department of Health will issue to each baker a certificate of health, which must be placed on file with the proprietor of the bakery and must be exhibited for inspection when so required by a representative of this Department. Those bakers not provided with sanitary certificates for their establishments by January 1, 1914, will be liable to prosecution for maintaining a bakery without a sanitary certificate. "All bakeries which were in operation May 9, 1912, are entitled to an exemption certificate not requiring them to conform to the otherwise required 10 feet in height. Applications with proper proof must be filed in the Department of Health not later than November 9, 1913. "For any further information you may apply at the office of the Division of Food Inspection at the Department of Health, 149 Centre st., Borough of Manhattan. ERNEST J. LEDERLE, Commissioner of Health." As a result of this notice, 1,555 applications for sanitary certificates have been received up to date. This number represents approximately one-half the bakeries in New York City. Instructions have been given to begin a general inspection on Monday, September 15, of the shops from which applications for sanitary certificates have been received. Several conferences have been held with applicants for certificates, and also with several master bakers' associations, at which the law was interpreted, and at which were explained the changes necessary in order to place the bakeshops of this city in conformity with the law. WARNING TO MILK DEALERS. During the middle of July a letter received from the New York Milk Committee, a society incorporated for the purpose of creating, through educational publicity, a demand for clean and safe milk, stated that the agents of the society had noticed in a number of instances that drivers had filled milk bottles from wagons on the street. In some cases the drivers were personally unclean, and on many occasions seemed to be pouring the milk into unwashed bottles. An investigation by the department followed, which confirmed the statements made by the New York Milk Committee, and as a result a number of prosecutions were instituted, followed by fines. Milk dealers are hereby warned that the practice of filling bottles upon the street is insanitary, in absolute violation of the regulations of the Department of Health, and that prosecutions will in every instance follow its detection. Unless otherwise specified in the permit, milk shall be delivered to the consumer only in bottles which have been sealed at the central bottling plant. NEW REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE GRADING AND PASTEURIZATION OF CREAM, At a meeting of the Board of Health of the Department of Health, held August 26, 1913, the following resolution was adopted: Resolved. That the following rules and regulations relating to the sale of cream in The City of New York, be and the same are hereby adopted to take effect November 1, 1913: 1. Grade A Cream. (a) Grade A Cream (Raw). Definition-Grade A Cream (raw) is cream made from either Grade A Guaranteed Milk, Grade A Certified Milk or Grade A Inspected Milk (Raw). 1. The cream shall be delivered to the consumer within 48 hours after milking. 2. The cream shall not contain more than an average of 100,000 bacteria per c.c. when delivered to the consumer or at any time prior thereto. (b) Grade A Cream (Pasteurized). Definition-Grade A Cream (Pasteurized) is cream which is made from any raw milk conforming to the requirements of Grade A, and which has been pasteurized. 1. The pasteurization of cream shall take place within 36 hours after the process of separation. 2. No cream shall be pasteurized more than once. 3. The cream shall be delivered to the consumer within 36 hours after the completion of the process of pasteurization. 4. The cream shall not contain more than an average of 100.000 bacteria per c.c. when delivered to the consumer or at any time after pasteurization and prior to such delivery. 5. All containers in which pasteurized cream is delivered to the consumer shall be plainly labeled "Pasteurized." Labels must also bear the date and hours between which pasteurization was performed, the place of pasteurization, and the name of the person, firm or corporation performing the pasteurization. General Regulations for Grade A Cream. 1. Unless otherwise specified in the permit, the cream shall be delivered to the consumer only in bottles. 2. The caps of all bottles containing Grade A Cream shall be white and shall bear the term "Grade A" in black letters or large type, and the words of the subdivision to which the cream in the said bottle shall conform. 2. Grade B Cream. (a) Grade B Cream (Raw). Definition-Grade B Cream (Raw) is cream which is made from Grade B Selected Milk (Raw). 1. The cream shall not contain an excessive number of bacteria when delivered to the consumer or at any time prior thereto. (b) Grade B Cream (Pasteuried). Definition-Grade B Cream (Pasteurized) is cream which is made from pasteurized milk or from Grade B raw milk and pasteurized. 1. No cream shall be pasteurized more than once. 2. No cream containing an excessive number of bacteria shall be pasteurized. 3. The cream shall not contain an excessive number of bacteria when delivered to the consumer or at any time after pasteurization and prior to such delivery. 4. All containers in which pasteurized cream is delivered to the consumer shall be plainly labeled "Pasteurized," and shall give the name of the person, firm or corporation performing the pasteurization. General Regulations for Grade B Cream. 1. Caps of bottles containing Grade B cream shall be white and marked "Grade B" in bright green letters, in large type, together with the words of the subdivision to which the quality of the cream in the said bottles conforms. 2. Cans containing Grade B Cream shall have a tag affixed to each can with the term "Grade B" in large type, and the words of the subdivision to which the quality of the cream in the said can conforms. DEATH RATE FOR WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 13, 1913. During the week ending September 13 there were 1,184 deaths with a death rate of 11.50. With the exception of the week ending June 28 of this year, when the death rate reached the low mark of 11.48, this is the lowest death rate that the city has ever experienced. The following diseases showed a decrease, which was reflected in the low rate for the week: measles, typhoid fever, diarrheal diseases, other digestive diseases, heart diseases, bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis and other forms of tuberculosis. The decrease in the number of deaths from typhoid fever, pulmonary tuberculosis and other forms of tuberculosis are particularly noteworthy. As compared with last week there were actually 67 fewer deaths, but a relative saving of 112 lives. The following diseases showed increases: diphtheria, whooping cough, Bright's disease and other nervous diseases. The proportion of deaths under one year and under five remain about the same as in the corresponding week of last year; the deaths at the age group, sixty-five years and over, were fewer. The death rate for the first thirty-seven weeks of 1913 is 26 of a point lower than during the corresponding period of last year, the rates being 14.25 and 14.51 respectively. VITAL STATISTICS Summary for Week Ending Saturday, 12 M., September 13, 1913. City of New York... 4,766,883 5,372,983 1,251 1,184 1,184 2,660 990 123 12.62 11.50 Corrected according to borough of residence. The presence of several large institutions, the great majority of whose inmates are non-residents the city, increases considerably the death-rate of this Borough. Deaths by Principal Causes, According to Locality and Age. June July July July July Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Sept. Sept. Week Ending. 23 30. 6. 13. |