The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1913-08-07
EXPERT SAYS HIGH BACTERIA
IN MILK GENERALLY MEANS
NOTHING.
MILITIA IN STRIKE REGION COSTS
$4,000 PER DAY.
Attorney General Holds That the Fiji
ty-Four Hour Law For Women
Does Not Cover Restaur-
ants and Cafes.
[By Gurd NJ. Hayes.1

LII. MdIu GlllueT, acting pIOIeoSOI
of bacteriology and hygiene at the
NJ. A. c., declares that high bac-
terra count in milk generally means
nothing. He says: "A high count may
be secured even in better dairies, but
a high count is not indicative OF
danger On the other hand low
count may not mean safety. Conclu-
sions should not be drawn from a
single sample. 1t takes two days to
make bacterial count and in the
meanwhile the milk is consumed. A
producer may have filthy milk but he
can keep the bacteria count down by
keeping his milk ice cold.
Every city in the state should have
an ordinance that required not only
personal inspection of all dairies by
its health inspector. but would have
a municipal ruling like that of the
city of Flint which requires the tu-
berculin test of every dairy herd that
supplies milk TO such city. At Flint
1900 COWS were tested for tubercu-
lOsis and so were found to be affected.
An impure milk supply is dangerous
TO public health and especially sup
ply secured from d tubercular af
ficted herd.
Man must be classified with the
list of animals that are notably sus-
ceptible to the bovine type of bacilli.
We have plenty of evidence to show
that market milk contains tubercle
bacilli in from five to ten or more per
Of NIL
have a very limited amount of data
upon which to base any very general
conclusions, we are confident that
Michigan has tuberculosis in her cat
tie in all parts of the state and that
milk from these cattle is being sold
10 creameries and cheese factories and
for direct human consumption. Much
of this consumption is by infants,
the most susceptible 10 bovine type
of bacilli. We have found sections
of the state where the conditions are
appalling, as many as 100 per cent of
the cattle in a herd being affected.
On numerous occasions we have found
cows reacting for the tuberculin test
and Immediately partaken of their
milk along with the owners family.
We are also finding tuberculosis in
poultry to an extent that should cause
alarm.
I'm regard to the count, milk may
have as high as a billion bacteria
to the cubic centimeter and yet be
safe as the germs are Tactic germs,
one of the good and harmless germs.
All milk, no matter from how sani-
tary or clean a dairy, is contaminated
to a certain extent. But bacteria
count means nothing without an in
spection of the source of the milk
supply and tuberculin test The in
spection should be done by a man
who understands his business and
should not be governed by politics.
The inspector should have a score
card system and should compare the
score with the count, for the bacteria
count is not altogether worthless. A
score card indicates every condition
at the dairy: health of the cattle and
men milking them, comfort of the
beasts, isolation of the sick, location
OF stable and water supply, ventila-
ton, feed, pasture and condition of
the barnyard, milking utensils, condi-
ton of mixers hands, handling OF
the milk and protection during trans
portation.
Publicity should be given to the
dairyman's score card rather than to
the bacteria count, for 1t is the score
card that tells the tale OF contami-
natiop. The count will aid some, but
is not to be compared to the import
ance of the conditions at a dairy. The
tuberculin test, however, is a most i'm
portant thing and should be compul
sorry by every city's ordinance What
ever may be the relation of bovine
tuberculosis to human health directly,
we know that there is a bovine tuber-
culosis problem in Michigan which
must De dealt With at least as an
economic problem. find that the cat
tie owner can be appealed to from
the standpoint of personal and finan-
cial interest in this connection and
that great care must be exercised
when dealing with the milk producer
purely from the public health stand
point"