Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-23
Pure MILK ITS AIM
Plan Is Outlined to Rid Local
Supply of Disease Germs.
MAY APPEAL TO CONGRESS
Tuberculosis Association Advocates
Pasteurization.
ONLY ABSOLUTE SAFEGUARD
Method, It Is Also Argued, Would
Save Dairymen Loss Now In
CURED by Cattle Herd.
ONLY ABSOLUTE SAFEGUARD

of tuberculosis. typhoid, diphtheria and
other diseases, the board Of directors of
the Washington Association for the Pre-
Vention of tuberculosis. at a meeting last
night, adopted resolutions which, if heed
ed by Congress and made the basis of
legislation, II is believed by those d.
rectly interested, will result in making
Washington's milk supply wholly safe
and free from disease germs Of any kind
At the same time the resolutions are
explained to be such as to afford a COM
mon meeting ground for scientists and
milk producers, removing the causes
which have previously existed for the
antagonism of farmers and dairymen to
laws intended to safeguard the cityS
milk supply.
The resolutions ask for legislation which
will compel proper pasteurfzation OF all
milk sold in the city; or. If such milk is
to be sold unpaSteurized, 1t must come
from herds which have been tuberculin
tested and which contain no animals re-
acting to the test.
Datrymen have heretofore taken the
stand that IL the application of the tuber-
culin test is made compulsory they should
be reimbursed by the government for all
animals condemned because shown by this
test to be tuberculous. Previous lesisla-
tion has provided for the condemnation
and slaughter of animals shown to be
tuberculous, this fact accounting for the
antagonism of dairymen to any proposed
law which provided for the compulsory
application OF the tuberculin test.
Protection to Public and Producer.
For the purpose of overcoming this an
tagonism on the part of the producing
dairynen the board of directors of the
association drafted the resolutions which
tod ar act MO
which. they believe, will point a way by
which dairy1nen can furnish milk which
will have no deletrious effect on the pub
lc health. and at the same time suffer no
financial loss by reason of the slaughter
OIL ree.otlng dairy animals.
1 he resolutions are said to be the most
advanced ever adopted by any similar
organization in the United States.
They set forth the fact that federal
and private Investigations here and in
many other parts of the country prove
that bovine tuberculosis, the bacilii of
which are contained in milk from af-
fected cows. is prolific source of human
tuberculosis, and add that the results
obtained in Investigations in the United
states are amply borne out by the re-
suits of similar Investigations made by
the British royal commission on human
and animal tuberculosis and the imperial
tuberculosis commission in Germany.
The fact that human infection is
brought about from bovine sources it is
stated, has been definitely recognized by
the International Congress on Tuberculo-
sis, well as by other national and in
ternational organizations and commits
Sions which are engaged In the fight
against human and bovine tuberculosis:
and the demonstration of the fact has
had marked influence on measures re-
Gently adopted by the governments of
England and France to protect the cit
liens OF those countries against tuber
culOSis.
Elimination by Pasteurization.
The resolutions further state that it is
recognized fact that the danger to which
the public is exposed through the COM
mon occurrence of virulent tubercle ba-
cilli in milk from tuberculous dairy
herds can be eliminated by the proper
pasteurization of such milk. and that
such pasteuriZation destroys other ba-
cilli and disease germs. such as those
of typhoid fever. diphtheria. scarlet fever,
sore throat. measles. etc., and that
pasteurization has no bad effect on milk,
as regards it's palatability or digesti-
bil:ty.
Such pasteurization. ii is said, will do
away with the necessity for Strengthening
a large number OF apparently healthy
but tuberculous cows. which, while re-
acting to the tuberculin test, are not
dangerously infected. As il is estimated
that from i TO 10 per cent of the dairy
stock of the east is tuberculous in great
er or less degree, the saving to the dairy
men by removing the neces $ ty of
Strengthening such a large proportion of
the dairy stock can easily be seen.
The resolutions urge Congress TO enact
q law for the District of Columbia which
will require the pasteurizatiOn, under Of
fetal supervision, of all milk and cream
sold in the District, unless such milk or
cream comes from herds which have been
tuberculin-tested and in which no animal
has reacted to the test.
Provision is made for the exemption of
all dairy herds the milk of which is sold
only after proper pasteurization from
the application of the tuberculin test the
added proviso being inserted that such
herds shall be kept iii accordance with
the sanitary requirements of the District
health office; that no cows showing clini-
cal symptoms of tuberculosis-that is so
far advanced as to display outward indi-
cations of such diseased conditiOn-shall
be retained in such herds, and that the
milk and cream IF no COW showing clint
cal symptoms of any communicable dis
ease shall be sold as human food in any
form.
: Prominent Physicians Present.
Members present at the meeting were
Emile Berliner. who presided; DR.. George
NJ. Kober. DIR. E. c. Schroeder DR.. q.
Lloyd Magruder. DIR. Jesse IL. Rams
burgh. DIR. William C. Gwynn. DIR. Will
liam c. Rives, Mrs. John Mclaughlin.
DIR. John Van Schaick, ir.; Mr.. George
S. Wilson, Rev. ID. f. Wiseman and Wal
ter 8. Unord. DIR. A. ID. Melvin, chief OF
the bureau OF animal industry. was also
present and cordially Endorsed the POSI-
ton taken by the association.
IL was the expression Of opinion OF
those present that If this position was
generally accepted and expressed in APP
propriate legislation the dairymen would
be saved a tremendous loss, milk prod
ucts would be rendered safe and the
tendency to the constantly increased price
for beef milk, eggs and other dairy prod
ucts would be checked. :
John Thomas of Ednor, Md. president
of the Milk Producers Association. stated
today that his organization has as yet
had no opportunity of discussing the reso-
lu,ions adopted last night. but that he
has himself talked over the points con-
tanned in them with DIR. Magruder.
Mr.. Thomas says that as an indi-
vidual he is in hearty accord with the.
resolutions, both in letter and in spirit,
and adds that he believes, when the
resolutions have been thoroughly dis
cussed and digested by the members
of the Milk Producers Association, en-
thusiastic acquiescence will be given to
the proposed legislation, and that the
dairymen will undoubtedly cooperate
with the scientists in securing legis-
lation based on the ideas embodied In
the resolutions.
Mr.. Thomas said that other produc-
Ing dairymen who sell their milk In
Washington had expressed themselves
hefnO in favor of 1e0talaffon along