Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-03-10
PERIL is SHOWN
in impure milk

FEDERAL EXPERTS REPORT ON
DANGERS OF EPIDEMICS IN
CITIES.
Washington, D. c., March SIN a
report on MIX in Its Relation to Pub
lie Health" Surgeon General Wyman
submits amazing evidence as to the
spread of epidemics. The RESPONSE
bility of infected milk in typhoid fever,
scarlet fever, and diphtheria is great.
The report Is the result of the inves-
tigation ordered by President Roose-
welt. The work was carried out by
uncle, Henry Webb, of South Ottumwa
federal experts. who went into the
various phases of the subject. 1t Is
asserted that all milk should como
from either tuberculosis tested cattle
or be subject to pasteurization. The
report fills 100 printed pages and Is
one of the most thorough studies of
the milk problem yet made, In his
Introduction to the twenty two
treatises of the experts. Dr. Wyman
says:
The steady. decrease in general
mortality does not apply to the in
fants. 1t is recognized that CASTRO
Intestinal diseases Is the largest
factor discriminating infant mortality
mis- enormous loss of potential wealth
is or grave concern to the state and
worthy of most careful consideration,
1t has been the object of this work to
include all available date showing the
influence of milk as Il carrier OF IN
lection and the measures necessary in
consequence"
Cause of Many Epdenics.
DR.. Wyman declares that the ideal
milk, drawn from a cow with u
healthy udder and preserved from
contamination, is not the milk OF com
merce. and he cites the fact that sam
pies of market milk in New York
showed 35,200,00O bacteria to the cubic
centimeter; London, 31,SSS, 000 Wash
ington, 22,134,0O0. He calls attention
to the evidence presented in the report
as proof that 500 epidemics of typhoid
fever, scarlet fever, and diphtheria
were caused by infected milk He also
refers to the evidence adduced that II
per cent of the SAMPLES of Washing
ton milk contained tubercle germs.
Dr. Eager, he says. gives figures to
prove that the high infantile mortality
may be attributed almost entirely tC
impure milk"
The surgeon general writes:
DR.. Moller points out that probably
the most important disease of cows
from the standpoint of public health
is tuberculosis and that 1t Is the most
prevalent. He insists that all milk
should come from either tuberculosis
tested cattle or be subjected to pas
teuriZation.
How to Pasteurize Milk.
THE important subject of pasteuri-
cation has been carefully studied b.
d. Rosenau, who points out its ad
vantages and discusses it's inconveni.
ences Fe recommends 60 degree.
cent1grade for twenty minutes as thu
best temperature to use in pasteurizint
milk, as this degree of heat Is suffi.
Gent to destroy the pathogenic micro.
organism without devitalizing the mill
itself
While DISCRIMINATION is not tn,
ideal to be sought practically 1t i.
forced upon us by present conditions
1t prevents much sickness and save
many lives-facts which Justify it's us,
under proper conditions. 1t is recon
mended that in large communities a
least pasteurization should be unde
the direct supervision of the health
authorities.
References will be observed TO TIL,
achievements of Nathan. Straus il
promoting the use of clean pasteurizet
milk for Infants and the establishment
Of infants milk depots both in tn
United States and abroad, and it il
| proper here to give recognition to hi
philanthropic and successful efforts"
Germs Increase Amazingly.
Past Assistant Surgeon Genera
John w. Trask has tabulated the dat;
of 500 epidemics that were definitel,
traced to the milk supplies, including
S17 typhoid epidemcs, 1875 .scarle
fever, 81 diphtheria and of pseudo
diphtheria, or epidemic sore throat
DR.. Trask gives figures to show tn,
amazing rapidity with which typhoi,
and diphtheria germs increase in milk
Seventy eight typhoid germs in
cubic centimeter of milk increased ii
seven days to 440,OO0.00o. In the sam,
time SO diphtheria germs increased t
100000
Past Assistant Surgeon Genera
Leslie 1. Lumsden, following up tn
data collected by DR.. Trask, so far a
1t related to typhoid, says:
Considering the tremendous multi
plication which the bacillus can un
dergo within twenty-four hours II
milk, 1t is easy to see how one can o.
bottle Of infected milk taken into
dairy and there mixed with larg
volume Of milk, may be responsible 70
exposure to infection of several thou
sand persons"
He cites the case of Palo Alto, Cal
in 1903, where he says Of 900 person
| exposed to the milk OF one dealer, 90
! contracted typhoid
Problem for Great City.
Quoting Health Commissioner Oar
| lington's statement that the mill
supply Of New York City is derlve
from $4,000 farms and shipped fron
| 700 creameries located in six states
Dr. Lumsden says:
1T is easy to appreciate how diff
cult and expensive it would be to kee
up a sufficient thorough supervision
Of the multiple sources Of the city
milk supply"
That raw milk may be readily rob
bed of it's infective power is the con
fident statement made by DR.. Lums
! den. He says:
The destruction of infection Il
milk at the present time seems to b
the cheapest and most practice
method to prevent the spread Q
| typhoid infection in the milk suppl
of cities. In exceptional instance
when a dairy receives it's sunpIy n