The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-02-07
[E; y ~.
100000 Cows in N. Y.
Have Tuberculosis
A GRAVE 3, DANGER \

misskon IN Great Britain that the
drinking Of raw milk is the chief
cause o. consumption is not at all
new here. The health authorities
We're told about the matter several
years ago by some of the most emil
nent medical research men In this
country. These men said that DIR.
Koch was all wrong when he held
that bovine tuberculosis was not
transmittable to human beings
through milk. Nobody was found
to disagree with them, either.
y The conclusions Of these experts
were reached at least four years ago
1t has frequently been the boast Of
DR.. Darlington that New York took
the lead In movements looking to the
preservation of the health of it's In
hahtants.. That 1t spends millions
more for this purpose there isn't any
doubt. Yet, since this discovery was
made, the most. that has been done
by DR.. Darlington and those supposed
to have the health of this city under
their care has been to appoint some
thirty inspectors to v4,2OO year
Jobs, most Of their work being to see
that New Workers are not cheated in
getting adulterated milk even II they
get germs.
Nv AdI dS COulu DC learned y6SLGr-
day no expert has stood for the theo-
ry as yet that water is the cause of
germs In milk or that it does any
particular harm, providing it is
clean. But Of course when water is
put In milk and the price q quart Is
unchanged somebody is getting cheat
ed, and that's all wrong. The Health
Boards position, as one physician
said yesterday, appears at present to
be summoned up thus: You may
get germs, but we'n try and see that
you don't get cheated"
Following the discovery by the
medical research men of this country
that there was this grave danger in
milk some Of the private specialists
got.together in this city and formed q
milk com mission Of their own. Their
object was to get as pure milk as pos
sible for their patients. Among the
members Of this commission were Dr.
w. H. Park, the Health Boards bac-
teriologist; DR.. Jacob and Dr. r. G.
Freeman. They found that nearly half
the cattle Of this state were tubercu-
Ions. That doesn't mean, Of course,
that they have developed tuberculo-
sis, but they have the germs and
ought to be killed.
AS the resi- It II t Two y7earg WORK
on the part of these private sphysl-
clans this commission has got up to
date just fifteen dairies to agree to
conform to such requirements as
these doctors believed would allow
them to certify their milk as contain
ing not more than 10000 germs to
a cubic cOntimetre. AS the milk from
these dairies is not pasteurized they
could not, Of course, certify that even
this milk was absolutely free from
germs, because the only way that
can be done is by submitting milk to
sufficient heat to kill any germ 1t
may contain, which is what pasteuri-
cation does.
The requirements exacted Of these
diaries In order that the physicians
may certify that the milk does not
contain over 10000 germs per cubic
centimetre are that the COWS shall
be examined once every three weeks
that the barns shall have cement
floors, that all milking utensils shall
be steriliZed, that the mixers shall
wear nothing but white duck uni
forms which shall also be sterilized
and that DO person shall touch a cow
unless he has absolutely clean hands
The fifteen dairies that are now
are without exception the dairies of
so-called gentlemen farmers. Though
the milk brings twice as much, not
regular farmer In Lnis state SO far
has adopted these improvements or
even consented to having his COWS
examined. And after the lapse Of four
years the health board has not seen
fit as yet to take any steps toward
keeping tuberculosis from entering
New York from any of the 800, 900
tuberculous COWS which was said
yesterday the state undoubtedly con-
tains.
The fact that almost half the cattle
Of this state are tuberculOus isn't
very we'll known to any but experts
and physicians. 1t is very we'll known
to the latter. A good many Of them
have been wondering for several
years why not thing was done by
the health authorities toward seeing
that milk from these COWS was not
admitted here to fill up the hospitals
with consumptives. Even If pasteuri-
cation was not required, as many be-
lieved it should be, it was felt that
something ought to be done toward
compelling these COWS to be killed or
that a archaeological standard should
be fixed for milk coming into New
York.
The reason why nothing like this
has been done Is the expense. Under
the law Of this state farmer agree
ing to allow his COWS to be killed Is
entitled to get at least 40 per cent. Of
their value, and In some cases SO per
cent, the money to be paid by the
state Vhe annual appropriation for
tbie nurnoee since the law was pass
ed. several years ago, has been few
thousand dollars 1t hasn't been
enough to reimburse the owners Of
the diaries, the gentleman farmers
who agree to allow frequent inspec-
lions and kill every COW they find
diseased. Just at present there isn't
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