Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-10
SANITARY MILK
Would Save Children Who Suffer From
Intestinal Diseases.

From What to-Eat. -.
Some weeks ago special committee was
appointed by the Children's Hospital So
ciety to investigate the conditions Of the
various hospitals of Chicago In Its report
the committee condemned in almost every
instance the milk supply to the hospitals,
and made an urgent appeal for the imme-
date appointment Of a milk commission,
whose duty 1t should be to secure for tho
poor children. both In and out Of hospitals.
milk which should diminish, If not prevent
infantile morbidity and mortality.
The intestinal diseases of infants prevail
as an epidemic during the heated term.
After a number of hot days. usually week.
the disease becomes manifest. 1t makes
its appearance in June. reaches Its height in
August, and from this time on gradually de-
clines By the time October has arrived.
the disease has disappeared. The cause
Of this disease has been diligently sought
for. Some thought that meteorological con-
dittons were responsible for the epidemic
nature OF the disorder In question. but 1t
was very soon shown that neither rainfall
nor humidity Influenced the disease or the
death-rate. Others thought that the dis
ease was an infantile variety of sunstroke
or heat prostration, but upon consideration
of all the facts. this view was not tenable
AS our knowledge of germ life and the
poisons produced by them became more
extended. certain practical deductions were
possible. and atlthe present day no one who
is informed dissents from the view that
choleraic diseases Of infancy are due to
an infection. The children who aEe at
tackled are for the most part those who are
artificially fed Cows milk properly d.
luted the only. practicable food for in
fants, contains. an enormous number OF
germs, which increase In numbers and vir-
ulent activity with an increase of atmos-
pheric temperature The summer temper
allure favors their cultivation and milk
them q n uaYnQllonf ma.
terial. The story CAN be told in nutshell.
The milk is infected With germs: the germs
produce pofsofs,- and sickness and death
result in the -fesblH resisting infant. This
Is the most Important though but a single,
chapter of the stSrgs Furthermore, well
authenticated epidenfics Of, scarlet fever,
diptheria and typlotd fever have resulted
from an infected milk supply. =" a. '.'r.
1t will occur to nearly every one that II
the milk is boiled or stefilized the germs
well be killed. but 1t has been demon
strated.e first, that certain poisons which
are soon manufactured by the germs In the
milk are not destroyed by heat second,
. that milk loses large its nutrient value
through boiling or sterilizing. Nevertheless.
OF the two evils, that is. unclean milk and
boiled milk, we should prefer the latter.
The watchword Of this reform movement is
clean milk. The farmer may have dirty
barn: his cattle may be sick or unclean:
the mixer may be contaminated by filth
or disease: the cans or utensils may not be
as carefully cleansed as they should be: or
the transportation may be defective; the
railroad employees may a allow a trainload
of milk to stand in open freight yard
for hours. exposed to the scorching sun.
The fault may be with the DEALER he may
not have proper facilities for keeping the
milk fresh and clean. At times, too, the
consumer Is at fault. The milk is allowed
to stand In unsuitable places, or Is not kept
on the Ice. Naturally, 1t costs more to pro-
duce clean milk than 1t does the unciean
variety. but everyone should feel that the
best milk procurable is none too good for
the baby. s.