Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-06
CALLS TUBERCUL|N
TEST INADEQUATE
Emile BerIiner Discusses
Means of Assuring SAM
tary Milk Supply.
BY EMILE BERLINER.

Tressdent Tuberculosis Association.
The tuberculin test as means for
ihsuring a safe and sanitary milk sup
ply is wholly Inadequate.
A herd may be tested today and no
reacting animal be found. and again
| tested in six months. when one or
several animals may be discovered
! with tuberculosis. 1t is entioely pos
siple that within a month from the
nrst test the milk from that herd may
| contain living, active. virulent tuber-
Gle bacilli And such milk, if con-
sumed in the raw state, in particular
ov children. may give them tubercu-
| losls. notably of the intestines, of the
spine and of the glands.
butter made from the raw cream of
such milk would likewise contain the
! Daclill in an active and virulent state
I! Tor at least four to five months. This
Fat the laboratories of the United
states Department of Agriculture.
And such butter may be infected with
various other kinds of virulent germs
tof sickness besides tubercle bacilli.
| Easy to dope" a Herd.
! 1t is comparatively easy to dope"
herd with certain easily obtainable
tuberculin from acting in a test. even
! though animals in the herd are af-
f1icted with open tuberculosis.
| Animals may be in excellent physi-
cal condition, giving plenty of milk
that is entirely pure, and wholesome
! Tor healthy adults. containing no
tubercle bacilli nor other disease
germs, and yet such animals may have
touch of tuberculosis, which would
cause them to react to the tuberculin
test. Proper pasteuriZation would
make of such milk a wholly unobjec-
tionable article of food. prefera BILE
even to so-called certified raw milk as
food for children or persons in
run down condition.
! Because no milk. unless a capable
and conscientious inspector is present
to watch every milking. can properly
be called Certified" and at times it
may be dangerous to give such milk
to children in the raw, unpasteuriZed
state. Both the Washington Milk
Conference OF 1907 and that of New
milk was only reasonably" safe
without proper pasteurization.
The monthly records of the health
officer Of the District of Columbia
prove that herds of dairies licensed
by him. because they were tuberculin
tested and Inspected at the time the
license was issued. may yet furnish
milk at times. and which can be freely
sold in the District of Columbia,
which afterward is found by him to
rate as low as 59. ana many between
40 and so. out of a possible 100 IN the
sanitary standards. This by itself is
proof that the tuberculin test and oc-
casional inspecting is wholly made
quate to be relied upon. Only proper
pasteurization under official supervi-
son and direction will give to a COM
munity safe milk and cream sup
ply.
Even slightly infected or impure raw
milk and cream, if continually par
taken of, will gradually reduce the
natural resistance of the human body;
II then disease germs should happen
to enter through the air, or through
water and food. sickness will follow.
the outcome of which depends ON the
degree to which the person has been
weakened and his resistance reduced.
Result Of Consultation,
These statements have been drawn
up after consultation with a promi
nent practical investigator of the
United States government, man
versed in the subject of tuberculosis
and the conditions on which the en-
trance of disease germs into milk de-
ponds. This prominent Investigator.
being an employe of the government.
cannot publicly testify unless he is
officially summoned TO do so.