The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-12-05
Milk Question
Discussed By
Health Officer
DR.. J. M. Cairns Speaks on
Pasteurization at City
Council Meeting
MANY JOIN IN
LATER DISCUSSION

Citizens to the number of Is or 3
gathered at the meeting of the cit,
council Tuesday night to hear the cit,
health officer DR.. j. NJ Cairns, discus
the question of the pasteurization O
milk and its bearing ON the health O
the community. The gathering was ii
response to an invitation extended by
Mayor j. f. McCully and most Of those
attending were either milk producer.
or closely connected with that industry
DR.. Cairns opened his discourse By
explaining the work done by the
eminent French scientist, Louis Pasteur
He told how Pasteur had developed
processes that had done away with
serious trouble in the wine and beer
Industries of that country and how he
had developed cure for disease that
was DESTROYING the silk worms and
thus the silk industry Of France He
also told how this eminent Frenchman
had worked out cure for rabies (hy-
drophobia) and of what tremendous
value that had been to humanity. From
the work of this man comes the word
EN'ot1diiLdlloifs odiu Ill. 1dlII1S.
Strongly Favors Pasteurization.
DR.. Cairns then went into an ex-
PLANTATION Of Just what pasteurization
meant to the health of the community.
and during his remarks he stated that
it had been definitely proven that
pasteurization does not affect the odor,
taste, digestibility or food value of
milk. Neither does the milk undergo
any appreciable chemical change. said
the doctor. He vigorously maintained
that pasteurized milk was a great pro-
lection to the health of any commute
ty and called attention to the fact that
typhoid fever had been practically
eliminated from the city since pasteur-
lzation was started.
The speaker was careful however.
to state that pasteurization did not pro-
tect the milk from contamination fol-
lowing the pasteurizing, and during the
discussion that followed he said that
the hour of pasteurization ought to be
stamped on the caps of the milk bottles:
that as a rule milk should not be used
longer than 36 hours after being
pasteurized
DIR. Cairns went into many phases Of
the question but space restrictions pre-
vent detailed account of all the points
touched on However, the gist Of his
remarks are contained in the following,
which was read by the doctor.
What Is Pasteurizationo
Pasteurization as applied to milk
consists in heating it for short period
of time at temperature below the boil
ing point followed by rapid chilling.
In language of the kitchen, pasteuriza-
ton means parboiling. To the sanitar-
ian pasteurization has but one object,
viz, the destruction of pathogenic
bacteria.
Milk heated to SO degrees c. and
held at that temperature for 20 minutes
will kill the viruses of tuberculosis,
typhoid fever, scarlet fever, diphtheria,
malta fever, dysentery, foot and
mouth disease, strepteococci, staphlo-
cacci, and practically all non-spore-
bearing mirco organisms pathogenic
for man. To provide factor of safety
it is advisable in commercial practice
~. ii
period Of 30 or As minutes.
Pasteurization of milk should be
between the limits of 140 degrees r.
and 155 degrees F. AT 140 degrees f.
the minimum exposure should be
20 minutes. For every degree above
l40 degrees <. the time may be re-
duced one minute. In no case should
the exposure be for less than minutes.
In order to allow margin of safety
under commercial conditions, It is
recommended that the minimum tenn
perature during the period of hold
ing should be made las degrees F. and
the holding time 20 minutes.
Saves Many Lives.
Heating milk at this temperature
does not alter its taste, odor, or digesti-
bility, does not interfere with its
food value, and has the great advantage
Of preventing much sickness and saw
ing many lives.
Pasteurization is the simplest cheap
est. least objectionable, and most
trustworthy method of rendering in
fected milk safe. Only certified milk
or milk of equally high character can
be regarded as reasonably safe with
out pasteurization. However, less than
10 Of all milk found upon the market
comes within the honor class; further
more, even certified milk has been
responsible for outbreaks Of disease
Pasteurized milk must be handled
at least as carefully as raw milk. It
should be bottled by machinery i'm
mediately following the process, kept
cold and delivered promptly. Pasteur-
lied milk sours as result of acid
fermentation just as raw milk does.
In other words the temperature recon-
mended does not destroy Natures
danger signal Tactic acid bacteria
Not a Substitute for Cleanliness.
Pasteurization is not proposed as a
substitute for inspection and cleanli-
ness but is an adjunct to inspection and
cleanliness Pasteurization destroys
the dangers inspection cannot see.