Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-01-27
Diseased Milk.

will be esteemed very respectable man forey-
ermore.
Diseased Milk.
An investigation has been going on before the
authorities of the city Of Brooklyn, which has
developed some startling disclosures iD regard to
the sale of diseased milk. A large milk estab-
lishment was burned down, and the neighbors
demonstrated against its re-establishment. The
subject was referred to committee of the Com
mon Council, and their report, now made pub
lic exhibits one of the most serious causes OF in
fantile mortality. They show that the nuisance
which the petitioners desire to continue and ag-
gravate, in its effects. is not confined to any par
ticular locality, but widespread and increasing.
When these stables were first built, there were
less than three hundred stalls, occupied by the
owners, who took especial care that no nuisance
should arise from them. There are now about
1900 stalls, occupied by different tenants, who
care little about the cleanliness of the stables
which are generally in a most filthy condition.
In these stables peculiar disease has prevailed
among the cows for twelve years past, and many
still eoltinue,.o use,i.ssa it. The only remedy
that has been found is to cut slit in the cows
tail. and insert some of the matter from dead
cows lungs. All fresh cows, introduced into
these stables are SO innoculated. The tail gene
rally falls off, and about one COW in five dies
On removing the skin, the whole of the hind
part of the body will be found in many instances
in state of modification. While the cows are
under the influence of the innoculation, they are
MIXED with the Others, and the milk sold.-
Sometimes cows take the disease months after
they have passed through the innoculation. In
such case, if in order, they are always sold im-
mediately to the butcher, to be dressed tor eat
ing. Fresh COWS are more liable to take the dis
ease than those that have been acclmated. AS
they cease to give milk, they become more liable
to die from the disease, because the disease, in
stead of passing off in the milk, is drawn to the
lungs, and the cow dies.
Milkmen disagree as to the cause of this dis
ease, some contending that it was imported from
Europe, others that it arises from new method
of disting, in which stryohnine is employed
In proof of it they point to the cases where the
cows swell up and die after an hours sickness,
with every appearance of being poisoned, and to
the fact that it is but seldom that any other than
swi-fed animals, kept in distillery stables, suf-
fer from it. The more intelligent opinion is that
there are two diseases-one the effect OF the pol
son in the swill, the other lingering disease,
similar to consumption, which undoubtedly pro-
of feeding.
The committee quote the report adopted by
the New York Academy of Medicine, March l,
1S4S in regard to the effects of swll milk on the
general health of the city. The results arrived
at in that report are such as might have been
expected, and are contained in the following res
olution:
"Resolged, That in the opinion of this Acade-
my. the milk of cows shut up in stables and fed
on dstilery slops is not only less nutritious than
that of uncontned and wel-ted animals, but it is
positively deleterious, especially to young chill
dren and is fruitful cause OF many fatal dis
cases."
Not only by the opinion of the physicians thus
expressed, but by other considerations, The CON-
miltee are justified in ascribing to the use of
swill milk the increase OF infant mortality, which
is exciting so much apprehension in the minds
of thinking people who examine the statistics.
Although the analysis of swill milk shows
nothing very bad on its face, it must be remem-
bered that it requires nothing very injurious to
act unfavorably on an infant. But it does re-
qure something very god and wholesome to
nourish and raise that tender plant, especially
when it wholly depends on it for sustenance and
life. A trifng cause will iDjuriously affect the
milk of woman, and strict injunctions are given
by the physicians as to the food she may use
An orange, or a few drops of acd or a little
over-exertion, will at once affect the milk, and
cause it to disagree with the Child yet by anal
ysis but little if any difference will be found. If
such slight causes will njuriousy affect the milk
and cause it to disagree with aid sicken the
child, the affects on an infant, of milk from sick
swill-ted cows, cooped up in hot stables,
fed on hot swill, breathing the same fetid air
over and over again-their lungs destroyed, and
the poisonous secretions passing off in the milk
instead of by the lungs-can easily be imagined.
The committee justly remarks that cause so ia
tai in its operations upon children must power
fully conduce to predispose the constitutions of
the vigorous and mature to all sorts of diseases.
| Bali. Amer.