Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-18
Health Office Regulation Re-
garded as Stringent.
APPLIES TO ALL SHIPPERS
Tuberculin Test and Proof That
Herd Contains No Infection.
PROTEST BY LOCAL DAIRYMEN
Secretary Of Dealers Association Re.
quests Hearing on Existing
Lawsuits Comment.

Disregarding a recent protest on the
part Of the local dairymen that the ex
listing health regulations in connection
with the District milk supply are too
strict, and that they are arbitrarily en-
forced, Health Ofncer William c. Wood
ward this morning announced that here
after no one would be granted q permit
to ship milk into the District unless proof
Is offered that the cows supplying the
same have been tuberculin tested, and
that the infected animals have been re-
moved
This action Is far more drastic than any
hitherto taken by the bureau Of health
In this connection, 1t is stated, and many
believe it to b. a direct outgrowth Of the
protest. Heretofore the tuberculin test
has not been required pending further
investigation into the question Of the
possibility Of the communication of tuber-
culosis from cattle to humans.
The letter of protest mentioned was sent
to the Commissioners by A. S. Trundle,
secretary Of the Milk Dealers Association
OF the District Of Columbia, Maryland
and Virginia.
Requests Public Hearing.
In this letter Mr.. Trundle, acting on
behalf of his organization. requested a
public hearing on the milk regulations.
This will be allowed at date to be fixed
later by the Commissioners.
The association protested not only
against the proposed tuberculin test, but
also charged that permits had not been
granted where evidence had been Of
fered to show that all sanitary regula-
tons had been complied with.
Mr.. Trundle wrote that present re-
strictions constitute an unwarranted i'm
position, IL not an outrage, upon our
rights as business men of this District. -
Health omcer's Reply.
Here is what DR.. Woodward had to
say this morning in reply to Mr.. Trun-
dies letter:
This complaint is based on mis-
statement Of facts. In no case where
all sanitary requirements have been met
has an applicant for permission to bring
or send milk into the District been re-
fused permit.
In certain cases, while no permits have
been granted, yet none have been refused.
and therefore the applicant has been en-
titled under the existing law to bring or
send milk into the District Of Columbia.
NO IdTQSHP whatsoever mas Ocen WORKED
upon them by this procedure.
Under the law no person can bring
or send milk here without q permit. Be-
fore the health Office can issue any such
permit 1t must be satisfied that such milk
will be brought hero for sale or consump-
ton without danger to public health.
Once Entertained Doubts.
In the early days Of the agitation con-
corning the eommunicability of bovine
tuberculosis to human beings and in the
early days of tuberculin testing, there
existed in my mind some doubt as to the
communicability of tuberculosis from the
bovine species to the human being. and
some question as to the entire accuracy
Of the tuberculin test.
For that reason in cases where all
ordinary sanitary requirements had
been met permits were issued. even
though the herd on the farm had not
been tuberculin tested.
Later, when the evidence in favor Of
losis to human beings became stronger
and the case in favor of the efhcacy
and the accuracy of the tuberculin
testing had been made out, I could not
feel that could be satisfied that the
milk from a given herd would be
brought into the District for sale and
distribution without danger to the pub
lie health unless the herd from which
the milk came had been tuberculin
tested.