Evening star., 1927-05-15
HEALTH OFFICIALS
AIR MILK PROBLEM
Vital Need for Pasteurization
Emphasized at Meeting
of State Authorities.

The vital need to extend the protec.
ton furnished to the public by the
pasteurization OF milk to combat wide
spread disease was emphasized yes.
terday at the inaugural session Of the
forty second annual meeting oe the
Conference of State and Provincial
Health Authorities In the boardroom
of the District Building.
DR.. s. J. Crumbine of the American
Child Health Association stated that
an incomplete survey in this country
and Canada showed that more than
1000 cases of disease were traced to
raw milk during the past year, and 5
per cent Of all typhoid fever was con-
tracted from infected milk.
DR.. James A. Tobey, scientific con-
sultant of the Borden Co., recapit.
ulated court decisions on pasteuriza-
ton to prove that health authorities
had repeatedly been upheld In regu-
lations aimed to control such spread.
DIR. G.. c. Lake, surgeon, United
States Public Health Service, pre-.
sented a paper on Malta fever and
contagion, in the absence of Miss Alice
G.. Evans Of the same service, who is
afflicted with the very same disease
she is studying-another example of
martyrdom to science.
Theory Refuted.
This report showed that Malta fever
can be spread by cows milk and not
exclusively by the milk Of infected
goats as had been the theory In the
past.
Considerable hilarity was caused by
the heated discussion on the advis-
ability of the retention of cuspidors
in Pullman cars A recent decision
of DR.. T. r. Crowder, Pullman Co.
sanitarian, to dispense with them
aroused opposition, especially among
those representing the tobacco culti.
waiting States.
A specimen cuspidor proved a ready
exhibit both for the prosecution and
the defense. A motion finally was
passed to table the matter until the
next convention.
The Standardization Of the quaran-
tine regulations was urged by DIR.
George HI. Bigelow, State commission.
er of health of Massachusetts,. He
pointed out the wide divergence of
preventative practice in the several
States and the unnecessary disagree
ment In sanitary codes. DIR. Bigelow
spoke of the eagerness to seek the re.
spective loopholes of the law as a
clam -gobbling pollution"
The Shepherd -Towner act for the
subsidy of rural nurses, described as
'ministering angels" toward the aid
of maternity and infant hygiene, was
indorsed anew by the conference,
following the initiative of DR.. Ennion
q. Williams, Virginia State health
commissioner.
Cites Flood Relief.
The preparedness of the American
aJ1d Canadian health departments
for daily needs as well as emergen-
cies is stressed by the efficient or.
ganization of the county health units
in the present flood relief crisis. DIR.
Arthur Mccormick, State health
officer of Kentucky, pointed out. A
centralized control of health ad-
ministration was urged. by DR.. L. L.
Lumsden. surgeon, United States
Public Health Service. together with
State subsidy Of full.time county
health work.
The conference went on record as
favoring a recent advisory report of
the American Railway Association
suggesting means for the disposal of
passengers dying on trains In transit,
which recommended decisions in a
variety or circumstances most COM
patible with the individual situation
as it arises.
The conference will end tomorrow.
The topics on the closing program
will include sanitary engineering, sew
erage publication, stream pollution,
tourist camps. migratory tuberculosis
carriers, uniform sanitary railway
code. industrial hygiene, mental
hygiene, drug addiction and conserva-
ton Of vision.
DIR. Don M. Griswold or Iowa, vice
president, is presiding over the con
ference. Among the local delegates
are Surg. Gen. Hugh 8. Cumming,
United States Public Health Service;
Assistant Surg. Gen. w. r. Draper
and District Health Offcer William C..
Fowler. who is conference chairman
OF the committee ON morbidity regis
tration area.