The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-10-09
MILK THAT IS SANITARY.
Would Save Children Who Suffer
/ from Intestinal Diseases-Dan-
! gers of Infected Supply.


Some weeks ago a special committee
was appointed by the Children's Hos
pital society to investigate the condi-
lions of the various hospitals of Chica-
go. In its report, says What-to-Eat, the
committee condemned in almost every
instance the milk supply to the hospitals,
and made an urgent appeal for the inn
mediate appointment of milk COM
mission, whose duty it should be to Sc
cure for the poor children, both in and
out of hospitals, milk which should di-
minish if not prevent infantile NOR
,bidity and mortality.
The intestinal diseases of infants pre-
vail as an epidemic during the heated
term. After a number of hot days,
uaIally week, the disease becomes
manifest. 1t makes its appearance in
June, reaches its height in August, and
from this time on gradually declines.
BY the time October has arrived the dis
ease has disappeared. The cause of the
disease has been diligently sought for.
Some thought that meteorological condi-
tions were responsible for the epidemic
nature of the disorder in question, but it
was very soon shown that neither rain
fall nor humidity influenced the disease
or the death rate. Others thought that
the disease was an infantile variety of
sonstroke 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 at the present day no
one who is informed dissents from the
view that choleraic diseases of infancy
are due to an infection. The children
who are attacked are for the most part
those who are artificially fed. Cows
milk, properly diluted, the only practic-
able food for infants, contains an enor-
NOUS number of germs, which increase in
numbers and virulent activity with an
increase of atmospheric temperature.
The summer temperature favors their
cultivation and milk serves them as an
excellent nutrient material. The story
can be told in nutshell. The milk is
infected with germs; the germs produce
poisons, and sickness and death result
in the feebly resisting infant. This is
the most important, though but single,
chapter of the story. Furthermore, well
authenticated epidemics Of scarlet fever,
diphtheria and typhoid fever have re-
suited from an infected milk supply.
1t will occur to nearly everyone that
if the milk is boiled or sterilized the
germs will be killed, but it has been dem
ionstrated, first, that certain poisons
which are soon manufactured by the
germs in the milk are not destroyed by
heat; second, that milk loses largely it's
nutrientvalueth through poilingor steriliz-
ing. 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 uncle2n; the mixer
may be contaminated by filth or disease;
the cans or utensils may not be as care
fully cleansed as they should be; or the
transportation may be defective; the
railroad employees may allow a train
load of milk to stand in an 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. Natur-
ally, it costs more to produce clean milk
than it does the unclean variety, but
everyone should feel that the best milk
procurable is none too good for the baby.