The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-19
MILK SPREADS SCARLET FEVER.
1t Is the Most Favorable Medium for
PrOpagating the Disease.
From the New York Sun

From the New York Sun.
Harry o. Hall of the surgeon generals
Office in Washington has written an article
in the current issue of the Medical Record
on the etiology of scarlet fever. While he
doesn't say positively that the disease is
always the result of the infection of cows
milk, he shows by authorities and sta
tistics that the disease is practically I'M
known in countries where cows milk is
not used as an article of food. Mr. Hall
has culed some interesting facts from
works on the subject, many Of which are
not obtainable outside of the surgeon gen.
erals office. He says that in looking into
the possible causes of scarlet fever he be-
came impressed with the idea that milk
was he most kelly medium through VIII CHI
the disease spread itself. Research into the
matter he says, revealed six interesting
facts.
First That while scarlet fever occurs in
epidemic foIm in all countries where cows
milk forms a staple article of food, espe-
cially among children it does not occur
in countries where cows milk is not used
as a food or where children are raised on
mothers milk only.
Second. That in Japan and China, where
cows milk is not used as a food, scarlet
fever is unknown or very rare. In 80
cities and towns in which epidemics of
scarlet fever have occurred none in ia
pan, China and Korea appears.
Third That in India, where cows milk
is used as a food, but where, as in Japan,
children are nursed until 3, and even 6
years of age, scarlet fever is rare if not
unknown.
Fourth. That in countries where goats
milk and asses milk are used as a food
scarlet fever is unknown.
Fifth. That epidemics of scarlet fever in
London and elsewhere have been traced
directly 10 the use of milk from certain
COWS affected with the teat-and-udder dis
ease and that milk had not been affected
by coming in contact with the disease in
man.
Sixth. That certain diseases in the lower
animals are coeXistent with or proceed or
follow similar epidemics in the human
race.
An epidemic of scarlet fever I'm London
in 1885,. Mr.. Hall says, was shown to have
it's origin among the cows of a certain
dairy farm. The authorities having re-
fused 10 allow any more of the milk from
this farm to be sold, ii was given away
to the poor in the neighborhood. The
result was a fresh outbreak of the dis
ease among those who had accepted the
milk. A later outbreak of the disease
in London was also traced TO dairy farm
where investigation showed the animals
to be in a diseased condition. Mr.. Hall
quotes Dr. A. s. Askmead on the bene-
fetal results of the absence of cows
milk in Japan. A COW in Japan, says DR..
Askmead. is a pack animal and is not
wanted for her milk. japanese mothers
suckle their babies themselves, and arti-
fetal lactation is unknown. In 1868 there
was a case of scarlet fever in Japan, and
again in 1870 there was another case, but
both were shown to be of outside origin.
The disease is also very rare in India.
Mr.. Hall says, although he is unable to
say 10 what extent milk is used as an
article of food there. He does know how
ever, that it is not customary to feed II
to infants or young children.