Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-04
NOT ENOUGH, HE SAYS.
Health Officer on the Pas
teurization of Milk.
OTHER REMEDIES NEEDED
Doesn't Believe Typhoid Attribu-
table to Local Milk Supply.
EMILE BERLINERS ADDRESS
DIR. Woodward Dissents From Some
Statements and Contends for
Congressional Relief.

Pasteurization OF all milk sold in the
District of Columbia will not vine out
typhoid fever here, according to Health
Officer Woodward. Although that may
help some, he has told the Commissions
ers 1t is not the only remedy to be APP
piled.
I'm order that the laity may not he
led to expect too much from tho improve
ment or even from the pasteurization of
the milk supply of the District. with re-
spect to the limitation of the prevalence
of typhoid fever Health Officer Wood
ward today reported to the Commission
ers, Il desire to reiterate what l have
said before. that there is no reason to
believe that the apparently undue preva-
1ence OF typhoid fever In the District of
Columbia Is attributable to the milk sup
ply, since many cities having certainly
unpasteurized milk supplies. and milk
supplies which, I am convinced. do not
compare favorably with the milk supply
of the District of Columbia. do not SUI
fer from typhoid fever to the extent to
which this District suffers frfom that s.
ease
Emile Berliner's Address.
This comment is called forth from the
local health officer by a recent address by
Emile Berliner. the local scientist. before
the Association for the Prevention of
tuberculosis.
THE lesson to be drawn once again
from the Cassel epidemic and con-
hrmed by the researches of Schroeder and
Cotton regarding the transmission of
tubercle bacilli through milk. cream and
butter Is very plain" Mr.. Berliner said.
after reviewing the Cassel epidemic. "All
dairy farms supplying milk and cream for
sale should be thoroughly inspected at
irregular periods. Furthermore all milk
and cream offered for sale or used for the
making of butter. ice cream and cheese
should be properly pasteurized.
And those who deliberately and with
out sufncient proofs oppose this simple.
harmless and most efficient precautionary
measure should henceforth be classed s
belonging to the enemies Of society.
since writing this report the public
health and marine hospital service Of the
United tates has come forth with a SIM
liar recommendation for effecting a reduc- |
ton Of typhoid in the District Of Column |
bia. and II Is hoped that our Commission |
ers and the health officer. who are at all
times alive to the needs Of the public will |
do all they can-with or without the aid
or Congress-to act upon these recon- |
mendations and order general pasteuriza- |
tion Of an approved kind. such as has !
been introduced by private firms in this /
city for some years
IT Is also OF notorious report that con- |
gressional action on the milk bill asked |
Tor by the Commissioners has been OBJ |
structed and delayed by the congressman |
representing the Maryland milk pro-
ducers. Are We. then, to continue seeing |
the children Of Washington die by the
score and the District of Columbia stig-
matized before the country as a typhoid |
fever center because the dairy interests
supplying milk to the city of Washington
do not wish to be disturbed In their
elovenly. careless and poison dissent
mating ways. and because medical the
orists decry pasteurization without being
able to support their opposition by scien-
Pasteurization of Value.
Health Ohicer Woodward was calIed
upon by the Commissioners for report
on this plea.
1T must be admitted that the proper
pasteurization Of the milk supply of the
District of Columbia would diminish. to
a certain extent, the prevalence of typhoid
fever" he replied. After arguing that
the undue prevalence of the disease cam
not In reason be attributed to the milk
supply, he continues.
Il do not regard II as within the power
or the Commissioners or of the health
officer to order general pasteurization of
lumbia, as is suggested by the writer
The writer states: The general gov
eminent, / am told, would act under the
Interstate commerce powers for regulat-
Columbia IL the Commissioners should
desire such action
This statement, so far as I can in
terpret II, is intended to convey the
tea that some executive or quasi ju-
dicial branch of the general govern
ment. possibly the Department of Agri-
culture. or possibly the interstate COM
merce commission, now has the power
10 require the pasteurization of ali milk
shipped into the District of Column ia |
or the shipment OF raw milk under seal
and under official supervision to pas
teurfzing plants located in the District |
OF Columbia for treatment, If the Com |
missioners should request such action. |
that any such branch of the govern |
ment is vested with power of this kind. |
Such action, IL IL be possible at all, /
must come through Congress.
Policy of Congress.
so far as related to the policy of
Congress to act favorably on the milk |
bill submitted by the Commissioners. on |
the recommendation of the milk con-
ference, during the winter of 1eO7-S, 1
beg to call attention to the fact that |
that bill undertook to regulate not |
merely milk and cream. but also butter,
cottage cheese and similar products. so |
that opposition to its enactment was /
presumably not limited to the milk |
producers of nsighboring states. but ex-
tended also to butter producers and |
possibly to producers of cheese through |
out the country generally
Commissioner mcfarland has recon- /
nended the reference of this report to \
the legislative committee of the milk /
conference, which is to consider the !
redrafting OF the bill which il drafted |
for the protection of the supply of milk
and it's products furnished to residents
nf CITY.