The times., 1897-07-28
THEY PROPAGATE DISEASES
MILK. Butter aud Cheese as Enemies
Of Health.

yeranus A. Moore, chief of the division
of Animal Pathology, Department OF Agri-
culture, has produced q great deal of
literature on the subject of max. butter
and cheese as carriers OF infectious dis
eases.
n his last treatise on this important
topic, Mr.. Moore says that from many
sources of unquestioned authority the
medium through which the contagion OF
many Of The most destructive diseases
OF man and domestic animals is sometimes
disseminated
Mr. Moore believes that it is exceedingly
importanu that the methods which have
been proposed for the destruction of the
disease producing bacteria should be-
thoroughly tested before they are advo-
Gated as satisfactory and efficient pre-
yentiyes Certain Of these processes,
especially those involving the application
OF heat, have been tested by the Depart
ment OF Agriculture with much satisfac-
ton, but the efficiency Of others, par
ticulariy those involving the use or cleo
tricIty to the application OF certain me-
chanical principles, has not been estab-
lished. Among these it has been sug-
gested that the treatment of milk In sepa-
rators is sufficient to remove bacteria,
thus rendering the cream and by-product
harmless, even If the milk contained OBJ
noxious and dangerous micro-organisIns.
Several celebrated bacteriologists have
called attention to certain dangers at
tending the consumption of raw milk,
butter, and cheese.
Rowland has called attention to these
articles or diet as the carriers OF typhoid
fever and Asiatic cholera. Steyerthal and
Konel have also pointed out several cases
OF these diseases which were traced 10 the
consumption OF butter. Frohner has shown
that a disease OF c3ttlein Europe known as
''foot-and-moutf' disease, and which is
communicable to man, has been transmitted
through butter made from the milk OF the
COWS affected. It has been shown that
when the baciTI Of hog cholera has been
placed in sweet milk they have appeared
IN the butter and buttermilk in numbers
large enough to destroy experimental ami
mails when inoculated with small quanti-
ties OF either. Ie has also been shown
that when certain bacteria find their way
into butter they win remain alive and
virulent for considerable length OF time
Lafar found tuberole hacilli alive and viru-
lent after they had been in butter for 12O
days Laser found the bacint OF tuber-
culosis, Asiatic cholera, and typhoid fever
in like condition after a weeks stay in
butter
Experiments conducted by the br seau OF
OF animal industry OF the Depar rtment of
Agriculture shows that tubercle baciIIi
VIII Ienlain yirulent in butter for more than
ninety days. Guinea pigs tnoeulated with
piece OF butter the size OF small pea
died OF tuberculosis ninety-seven days after
the infection OF the bC;ter. During this
time the infected butter was kept in an
iee-box.
The best method which the Depa rtrnent
OF Agriculture has 10 suggest for the protec.
tion OF human health gainst contaminated
milk and n:flk products is sterilization and
Pasteurizstion. Steriltza ton con sists In
destroying ailliv1ne organisms andts usual
~ accom- plisbed by subjecting the ma ateriaI
to high temperature, 23o TO 24s degrees
Fahrenheit