The Milk Adulteration Scandal
A Seattle dairyman is fined for using formaldehyde as a preservative in his milk supply.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
T. V. Garland, proprietor of the Emerald dairy, was fined $25 and costs in police court for adulterating his milk with formaldehyde. Garland pleaded guilty but stated that he did not know the exact nature or effect of the drug placed in the milk to keep it from souring. He said he bought the formaldehyde on the recommendation of a druggist who told him it was not unlawful. Judge George let Garland off with the fine but stated that if he was brought into court again on a similar charge, he would be given the extreme penalty. W. Bastain, proprietor of the German dairy, was exonerated after proving he purchased the tainted milk from Garland without knowledge of the contamination.
“He said he bought the formaldehyde on the recommendation of a druggist, who said it was not unlawful to use it.”
Food safety was a major concern during the Progressive Era, leading to the eventual establishment of the FDA. The casual use of industrial chemicals as food additives highlights why early regulation was so desperately needed.
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