The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-07-07
INFANT MORTALITY
DUE TO DISEASED MILK
Nathan straus Gives Some Alarming
Statistics In Address in
London

Statistics In Address in
London
London, July IA paper by Nathan
Straus of New York, deal ng With the
improvement Of infant health con
ditlons through the use Of pasteurizcd
health officer OF Huddersiied, at the
Conference on Infant Welfare held
here yesterday under the patronage
Of the King and Queen
Mr.. Straus' paper stated that 1t was
his original purpose. when the milk
campaign was inaugurated in 1892, to
check the ravages from summer com
plant which attacked infants in their
second summer At that time, Mr..
Straus asserted, a large percentage
OF children succunbed from in
testional trouble in their second SUNNI
er when the change was made from
mothers milk To the infected m liz OF
the cow"
"0f 1,347,0S9 deaths IN the United
States in 1914. 27s $40 were of babies
under two years and 65, ,29S of these
deatAy were from intestinal disorders
mainly infectious diseases due to
germs conveyed in milk Mr., Straus
paper stated.
"As the germ theory became the
subject OF extensive scientific re.
search il became evident that germs
caused other diseases. in addition to
tuberculosis and intestinal poison.
Typhoid. scarlet. diphtheria, scep-
tic sore throat and measles, all these
diseases were found to be caused by
germs In milk
There are records OF numerous
epidemics where II was officially esta-
blished that the milk supply had been
the carrier of the germs. The most
striking of all was my experience
during the infantile paralysis epidemic
which scourged New York during the
summer OF 1916 OF 2,1OO children who
were entirely fed on the pasturized
milk prepared at my laboratory, not
a single case OF the sease develop
ed. When this fact became known
was besieged by frantic mot PRS for
information"
Mr. Straus advised these inquirers
to use pasteurized mix or to boil il
il they were unable to obtain milk so
treated
He told of the establishment of his
depots in various parts of New York
city where where trained attendants
advised the mothers In the care of
infants. The extent to w'Nch his
pioneer work had been followed was
shown in the paper by the fact that
100 infant milk depots had been estab.
llshed in New York, % in Philadel-
phia. 90 in Chicago and l2 in st. Louis
Altogether In the United States, Mfr.
Straus said, 2J' such stations are dis.
trbuted in 3G cities.
BY this means milk at one cent n
large glass free from any possible in
fection." was brought within the reach
of children. In some summers 1900.
600 glasses were dispersed through
these stations.
To enable people who desired to
pasteurze milk for their own use he
devised a pasteurizer that could be
used in the homes and sold them at
cost or gave them to those who could
not afford to pay. He presented
compete pasteurizing plant to the city
Of Philadelphia and quoted figures
showing the reduction of infant NOR
tally which ensued
Mr. Straus told of the opposition
which he asserted arose from the
selfishness and ignorance of dairymen
and milk dealers and said il was an
,incessant fight TO compel them to
pasteuri2e their milk
All his social work whittier prOpa
.ganda for pasteur2ation or n his
Hea tn Department In Jerulsalem was
open to al The milk was provided
without distinction of race, religion or
color.
Concluding he stated: I have the
satisfaction of world wide recognition
OF the Importance Of putting an end
to the criminal and unnecessary waste
of child life through m Tx poisoning
"Pasteurization must become a
world movement. a movement that will
prevent disease, that will keep the
babies In health. that will gladden. the
hearts of mothers, that will make
this world, healthier, happier, better