Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-08-09

DR.. Frank Roop Smich was seen by
a reporter in regard to the estab.
lishment of a sterilized milk station in
the city.
:. Talking on tlat subject and also on
the process Dr. Smith said:
"The sterilization of milk is not done
alone, as some think, for the destruction
of the tuhercle bacilli or consumption
germs, but also for tho killing Of the
myriads of other germs which find
milk favorable medium for their
growth.
'To make the explanation clear, the
air, water and the surfaces of every
thing contain thousands of microscopic
organisms which nature finds use for,
as it does for plants, worms to eat the
plants and birds to eat The worms.
"Some of these organism are septic,
(producing disease,) and their only real
use, so far as we are able to learn, is to
make work for doctors.
"To this class belong those causing
diphtheria, typhoid fever, erysipeias,
cholera, &c.
Fortunately they are by no means
the most numerous, and the present
knowledge OF sanitation has done much
to lessen their numbers and prevent
their spread.
Another class of these organisms are
called sapprophetic, and their mission is
to cause the decomposition of dead ami
NAL and vegetable matter SO as to render
1t available as food for plants.
"But for their existence, fermentation
and putrefaction would never occur.
"If the temperance folks would devise
some method entirely exterminating the
little and harmless looking micro-organ-
ism known as 'torvula cereyisie' or
yeast-plant, inebriacy would cease, since
only by its aid can alcoholic beverages
be economically produced,
"Micro-organisms occur in the intesti-
nal tract of man and all animals, and
play an important part in the extrac-
ton of nutriment from the food con-
sumed.
1.-THE blood of healthy man or ami.
NAL is entirely free from organisms, or
is aseptic, as it is called.
1.-THE blood of the human family,
hover, becomes invaded with the germs
producing intermittent and remittent
fevers, the grip and few others.
milk is likewise aseptic when in the
mammary gland or udder OF healthy
cow, and with the proper aseptc pre-
cautions can be drawn and placed in an
aseptic flask entirely free from organ
isms, and will then keep unchanged in
definitely.
"When, however, it is MIXED in
buckets, passed through strainers and
placed in cans, all of which contain
numerous micro. organisms imperfectly
removed by washing, these multiply
rapidly, "a little leaven leaveneth the
whole mass and at a summers tenn
perature it is but few hours before it
becomes reeking with them and not
only sour but putrid.
"This is the kind of milk which aids
so effectively in causing cholera infan-
tum and enormously increases the NOR.
tality among babies in summer. 1t is 10
prevent the use of such milk that the
charitable are providing sterilized milk
II a low cost.
"Fhe process of sterilization consists
Sp destroying these organisms by heat,
and when the milk is thoroughly steri.
LIKED and kept from exposure TO them il
will keep unchanged for any length of
time.
"Fubercle bacilli, the consumption
germs, are as apt to be present in the
milk in winter as in summer, and while
sterilization would be of advantage in
their destruction, the process is rarely
resorted to in cold weather when the low
temperature is unfavorable to the in
vasion of the other organisms.
Besides, the presence of tuberclt
bacilli in milk, is the exception, rathe
than the rule las some imagine), and i
is only in the milk of badly diseased
animals that they ever exist"
SIN what manner" the reporter asked
adoes this putrid milk cause cholera in
fantum, do the organisms in this cast
get in the blood ?"
"From the present knowledge of tn
pathology of the disease it is not though
hat they do. They enter the intestine
ract, however, and just as in the growtl
If the nux vomica plant, strychnine /
Produced, and in the growth of the
poisonous nightshade, the deadly afro
pine, so in the growth of these septi
micro-organism poisonous alkaloids
called toxines or ptomaines arc de
veloped, which poisons being taken VI
by the blood, produce the high fever
stupor and other constitutional symp
toms of the disease.
"Koch's lymph, the so-called tube1
oulin, is solution of the poisons de
veloped by the growing tuberclc bacilli