Evening star., 1914-11-14
District and Federal Health
Officials Confer With
Veterinarians.
MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA
ACTIVELY TO COOPERATE
Publication Of meteorological Rat
ings of Local Milk Dealers Post
poned Pending Hearing.

Plans for a cooperative campaign to
keep the foot and mouth disease from
spreading to the District of Columbia
were discussed at a conference this
afternoon in the municipal building
between representatives of the District
health Office. Department of Agricul-
ture and veterinarians of Washington.
Maryland and Virginia.
Although called primarily to bring
into closer cooperation inspectors of
the health department and experts of
the bureau of animal industry of the
Department of Agriculture, the meet
ing was we'll attended by veterinarians
of Maryland and Virginia, who are ex-
pected to be of big help to the govern
ment authorities in their effort to hold
the foot and mouth scourge in check.
Headed by DR.. John P. Turner. Dis
trict veterinarian, all of the depart
ment's inspectors, who have been IN
Maryland inspecting dairy farms whicn
sell milk in Washington attended the
conference. Many of the inspectors
nave no experience in epiZootics of foot
and mouth disease and the information
which they obtained at today's meet
ing from the Department of Agricul-
ture officials is expected to prove of the
greatest help to them during their
work on the firing line
No Alarming Developments.
There were no alarming developments
in the situation today as far as the
District is concerned. 1t is believed the
quarantine against shipment into
Washington of any hoofed animals
dressed meats, hides or fodder from
Maryland is being generally observed.
Pending the outcome of hearing
before the Commissioners to be held
Monday morning. at 10 O'Clock. the
health department is holding up its
plan to publish meteorological ratings
o. pasteurized milk.
Protest against such publication
being made was lodged with the Com
missioners by the Washington Dairy
mems Association with request for a
hearing on the complaint.
In the meantime milk consumers will
not be prevented from ascertaining the
departments meteorological ratings II
they call at the department and ask
for ratings in the case of particular
dealers. 1t is the opinion of Health
officer Woodward that such ratings
are public records and they Will be
given out upon request.
In a lengthy statement given out
today DR.. Woodward discusses the re-
lation of the meteorological count to
pasteurized milk.
DR.. Woodward's Statement.
DR.. Woodward issued this statement
today:
"Pasteurization of milk has three es-
sential steps: First, heating the milk
to approximately $50 degrees Fahren-
heit Second, holding the milk at that
temperature for approximately thirty
minutes Third, the subsequent raplc
and immediate cooling Of the milk te
below so degrees = Fahrenheit. Ir
na nasteurization on a commercial scale
temueratures below 145 degrees are IN.
effectiye. and temperatures above l5s
degrees alter the chemical composition
OF the milk and interfere with the
separation of the cream.
'The length of time the milk is kept
hot varies with the temperature select
ed for the operation; the lower the
temperature the longer the time. Whlle
milk may be successfully pasteurized
in the home without special apparatus
ma asteurization on a commercial scale
reouires a plant carefully and properly
constructed for that purpose. 1t re-
uuires moreover, conscientious super
vision by an operator educated and
trained with respect to the operation
of pasteurizing plants.
"The only test of the efficiency of a
pasteurizing plant from sanitary
standpoint is the bacteriological re-
suits. The operators of the largest and
most modern plants uniformly rely
upon such results. commonly employ
ing their own bacteriologists and hav-
ing their own meteorological labora-
tories for that purpose.
"Pasteurization carried out as de-
scribed above kills many of the germs
in the milk. OF some kinds of germs
it kills all. The effect of pasteurization
is. therefore. to reduce the total num-
ber Of germs and to eliminate some
varieties altogether
Among the varieties of germs that
pasteurizRtioR eliminates altogether
are all the commoner disease germs
and the colon bacillus. If any of these
germs are found in milk it is evidence
that the milk has not been pasteurized
in any proper sense of the word, or
that it has been contaminated after
pasteurization.
Difficult to Detect.
"Since disease germs in milk are not
numerous and are difficult to detect,
while the colon bacillus is common
and is easily detected. the colon bacii-
lus is commonly searched fors If the
colon bacillus is present. the milk has
not been treated in a way to kill dis