Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-22
Milk az . Medium Of Disease

years have demonstrated beyond a shadow
Of question that milk j. one of the great me-
diums by means Of which many forms of
fatal diseases are transmitted from place to
place and propsgzted in the human family
The experience Of almost every careful and
observing hou-ekeeper in town or country
has also taught them to keep milk in place
by iself; or in other words not to place
fresh meats, bacon, vegetables. etc, in the
came place with milk Housekeepers and
farmers have like~i.e long had a firm belief
in the influence which certain foods and
provender have upon the taste of milk
This is not merely a notion, il has been act
aslly demonstrated. Cotton seed meal that
has been some~ha, damaged hA. been
known To produce bitter taste
IN milk; and the ;sste Of cabbage, turnip and
other rank favored vegetables is plainly OBJ
servsnle 10 milk--not TO speak of the odors
Of an impure stable which are quickly alb
sorbed by new milk and retained by it for a
long time. Indeed these taints In milk are
frequently so positive that they render il IN
fit for use. and cause the rapid changing or
breaking down of the milk making it prsma-
turely sour. These plain facts in regard To
milk are well understood.
The invest cations Of medical and scientific
men, however, have been directed TO the part
which milk play. as an agency or medium of
dl'ease. Facts seem To have proved that
milk is responsible for epidemics of scarlet
fever, diphtheria, tuberculosis and
typhoid fever Tuberculosis in the lungs of
cattle is identical with that disease in human
beings. and can be disseminated through the
milk. DR. Klein, an eminent German scien-
list, says that much consumption in the hu-
man family is due to this origin. The Sci
entihc American is also authority for the
statement that milk is dsseminator Of ty-
phoid fever to a certainty, and instances
case recently brought under investigation in
Jersey City. where milk was responsible for
an epidemic Of this disease. A florist in that
city supplied Ave families with milk He
was attacked by typhoid fever and lived but
few weeks. II was ascertained that he
had been accustomed TO using large quaint
hi. household had used but very
little. Typhoid fever also began to appear
among the FIVE families whom he supplied.
10 each house there were one or more cases
In one family, the suspected milk had been
used for providing cream for coffee, etc. and
the bulk of the fluid, or .kim milk left, had
been used for cooking In this house only
one case appeared. Upon inquiry. it was
ually drank the skim-milk. The others had
not used it and were unaffected, New cases
were added to the list but were all confined
T. the five families in question, and to the
florists house In one family, five or SIX
eases occurred, including one fatal attack.
Investigations Of the florists premises were
made in order to ascertain, if possible, the
origin of he disease, Al d it was found that
the water supply of the cows was contami-
mated by means of sewage deposits. and
drinking water coming through pipes which
for part of the time had been used in trans
hitting liquid manure. The impure water
drank by the cows was proved beyond ques-
ton to be the origin and source of this
ep demic.
From this, and many other cases equally
as well a.tested, it is believed that typhoid
fever, scarlet fever, tuberculosis and diph-
liberia may be largely prevented by giving
attention To the purify of the water supply of
diaries This should be one of the things of
chief Importance with every dairyman in the
care of his cows. 1t should also be well I'M
ler stood that in any suspected case of i'm
purity of milk. or If its being contaminated
IN any way. boiling the milk before using it
will destroy the disease germs and render
it harmless Cooled before it is drank or
used IT : almost as palatabe as before it
$ boiled although it has not the taste of
fresh milk. S,ili it may be some satisfaction
g. know that disease germs, if any were pres
eut have been destroyed by the act Of boil
ing