Providence Medical Association Milk Commission records, 1931-1985

(bulk 1931-1968)


John Hay Library , Special Collections
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: 401-863-2146
email: hay@brown.edu

Published in 2013

Collection Overview

Title: Providence Medical Association Milk Commission records
Date range: 1931-1985, (bulk 1931-1968)
Creator: Providence Medical Association. Milk Commission
Extent: 0.5 Linear feet
Abstract: The records of the Providence Milk Commission consist of financial and business records related to the Commission’s activities from 1931 to 1985. The series concerning Hillside Farms contains reports on the health of its employees and the results of tests to determine the quality of the milk produced there.
Language of materials: English
Repository: John Hay Library , Special Collections
Collection number: Ms.2008.018

Scope & content

The records of the Providence Milk Commission consist of business and financial records related to the Commission’s activities from 1931 to 1985. The business records contain a variety of material and include circular letters regarding the advantages of certified milk, correspondence, and reprints of annual reports. The financial records include a savings account passbook, the Commission's annual financial statements, and receipts for expenses such as travel and advertising.

The series concerning Hillside Farms contains reports on the health of its employees and the results of tests to determine the quality of the milk produced there.

Access Points

Subject Organizations Subject Topics Document Types Subject Topics

Arrangement

The records of the Providence Medical Association Milk Commission are arranged into the following series:

  • Series 1. Business records
  • Series 2. Financial records
  • Series 3. Hillside Farms

Historical note

By the late nineteenth century high infant mortality rates were linked to diseases spread by drinking contaminated milk, especially in urban areas. Dr. Henry L. Coit, a physician in Newark, New Jersey, developed a plan to provide a safe and nutritious supply of milk for children. This plan, which became known as the "certified milk movement", proposed that committees of physicians would set standards for milk production and oversee its production and handling.

The first Medical Milk Commission was established in Essex County, New Jersey, in 1893. Cities throughout the country then began to form their own milk commissions. In 1906 these were federated into the American Association of Medical Milk Commissions (AAMMC). The commissions inspected dairies to make certain that conditions were sanitary and that the animals and employees of the dairy were healthy. The label “certified milk” was at first applied only to raw milk. As pasteurization became more common it was applied to pasteurized milk as well.

The Providence Milk Commission was created in 1926 as a committee of the Providence Medical Association. The testing of milk samples collected from Rhode Island dairies was performed in the laboratories of Dr. Charles A. Stuart, a professor of microbiology at Brown University, from at least 1945 until 1957. Beginning in 1958 testing was done by the Rhode Island Quality Milk Association and the Milk Department of Providence at laboratories in the Charles V. Chapin Hospital. In 1967 the analysis of milk samples moved to the Rhode Island Department of Health laboratories.

The last dairy in Rhode Island to participate in the certified milk program was Hillside Farms, which withdrew from the program in 1968. It is not known when the Commission ceased to exist, but its savings account at the Rhode Island Hospital Trust bank was closed in 1985.

Access & Use

Access to the collection: There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of the materials: Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation: Providence Medical Association Milk Commission records, Ms. 2008.018, Brown University Library.
Contact information: John Hay Library , Special Collections
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: 401-863-2146
email: hay@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION  
Acquisition: The Providence Medical Association Milk Commission records were acquired by the Brown University Library on April 17, 1996. Their provenance is not known.
Accruals: No further materials are anticipated for this collection.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID  
Author: Finding aid prepared by Mary A. Harrison
Encoding: This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013-04-17

Additional Information

Related material: The following related materials may be found at the Brown University Library:American Public Health Association. A half century of public health; jubilee historical volume of the American Public Health Association, in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary...of its foundation, New York City, November 14-18, 1921, ed. by Mazyck P. Ravenel. New York : American Public Health Association, 1921Brush, Edward F. Milk. New York : Crawford, 1898Busey, Samuel C. Compulsory reports of zymotic diseases; milk legislation; medical practice law...Annual address...delivered by Samuel C. Busey, December 18, 1895. Washington, 1895Heinemann, Paul Gustav. Milk. Philadelphia and London : G.B. Saunders Company, 1919
Other information:

Inventory

Series 1. Business records, 1937-1968
Box 1, Folder 1-5
This series contains circular letters, annual reports regarding the quality of milk sold in Rhode Island, and correspondence.

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 1 Circular letters
Contents Note: These are form letters regarding the health benefits of certified milk.

 1937-1938
Box 1, Folder 2 Reports
Contents Note: These are annual reports of the Commission. Most are reprinted from the Rhode Island Medical Journal. Reports for 1945-1947, 1950, 1952, and 1953-1964 are included.

 1945-1967
Box 1, Folder 3 Certified Milk
Contents Note: This folder contains a variety of material supplied to the Commission by the Certified Milk Producers of America and the AAMMC. It includes correspondence, regulations, mailing lists and the minutes of the AAMMC annual meeting in 1968.

 1967-1968
Box 1, Folder 4 Providence Medical Association committees
 1968
Box 1, Folder 5 Correspondence
Contents Note: Most of this correspondence concerns the withdrawal of Hillside Farms from the certified milk program.

 1968

Series 2. Financial records, 1931-1985
Box 1, Folder 6-10
This series contains financial statements, bank records, tax statements and receipts for expenses such as advertising, travel and meals.

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 6 Financial statements 1931-1939
Box 1, Folder 7 Financial statements 1940-1967
Contents Note: Statements for the years 1943 to 1965 are missing.
Box 1, Folder 8 Bank records
Contents Note: This folder includes the passbook for the Commission's saving account as well as money order receipts and bank statements.

 1966-1972
Box 1, Folder 9 Expenses
 1946, 1966-1968
Box 1, Folder 10 Tax records
Contents Note: This folder contains copies of the IRS forms for 1967, 1970-1974 and 1985 regarding interest on the Commission's savings account.

 1967-1985

Series 3. Hillside Farms, 1966-1968
Box 1, Folder 11-16
This series contains reports on the health of Hillside Farms employees and reports on the quality of milk produced there.

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 11 Monthly averages for certified milk
 1966-1967
Box 1, Folder 12 Rhode Island Quality Milk Association reports
 1967
Box 1, Folder 13 Rhode Island Quality Milk Association reports
 1968
Box 1, Folder 14 Rhode Island Department of Health reports
 1967
Box 1, Folder 15 Rhode Island Department of Health reports
 1968
Box 1, Folder 16 Monthly physician's report
 1968