Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-09-04
S9-93 BANK STREET SO-S2 South Main St
MILK THAT IS SANITARY.
Would Save Children Who Suffer from Intestinal Diseases-Dan-
 gers of Infected Supply.


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 Some weeks ago special committee was appointed by the Children's Hos pital society to investigate the condi- tions 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 aa urgent appeal for the inn mediate appointment of milk con- mission. whose duty it should be to se- cure for the poor children, both In and out of hospitals, milk which should di- minish If not prevent infantile mor- bidity and mortality.
 The intestinal disases of infants pre- vail as an epidemic during the heated term. After a number of hot days. usually week, the disease becomes manifest. It makes it's 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 artifcially 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 a 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 a 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 1t has been dem- n, ,Strafod first that certain uOiSOnS which are soon manufactured by the germs in the milk are not destroyed by heat; second, that milk loses largely it's nutrient value through boiling or 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 unclean; the milker 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 sum- 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, 1t 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.