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Wisconsin Idea Series: Stephen Babcock Left a Mark on Wisconsin’s Dairy Industry
by Sylvan Bachhuber, age 14
Tucked
on the west side of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus is the
Babcock Hall Dairy Store. While Babcock Hall is most famous for its ice
cream, it also sells an assortment of dairy products, including a
variety of award-winning cheeses and locally produced milk. Without the
contribution of UW-Madison researcher Stephen Babcock, these products
would not be as delicious as they are today.
In 1890, Stephen
Babcock introduced the Babcock Test, a device that measure the fat
content in milk, and therefore its quality as a whole. This test allowed
for the standardization of milk quality according to its butterfat
content. Because of this, pricing could be directly correlated to
quality. No longer could farmers skim or water down their milk before
selling it.
This test was so revolutionary that it won Babcock
prizes at the Paris World Fair in 1900 and the St. Louis World Fair in
1904. The invention also won him a bronze metal from Wisconsin Governor
LaFollette, and the Capper Award in 1930. These prestigious awards,
however, did not provide Babcock with any financial gain because he
never chose to patent his device. The only profit realized $5,000 prize
from the Capper Award.
Babcock was a contributor in the
development of the “cold storage” method of curing cheese, as well as
many other inventions that greatly improved the manufacturing of dairy
products. His advances in food science laid the ground for research in
nutrition and the chemistry of vitamins, which eventually led to the
discovery of vitamins A and D. Many of his inventions and discoveries
are still used today by the UW-Madison in their production of dairy
products.
Stephen Babcock contributed to both the state and the
dairy industry as a whole. His dedication to the health of the state’s
citizens makes his work an embodiment of the Wisconsin Idea. UW-Madison
has rightfully named their dairy store after Babcock, ensuring that his
name withstands the test of time.
[Source: Wisconsin Historical Society, Babcock Hall Dairy Store]
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