Bacteria: Especially as they are related to the economy of nature, to industrial processes, and to the public healthNewman, George, Sir
Science
Bacteria: Especially as they are related to the economy of nature, to industrial processes, and to the public health
Newman, George, Sir
Bacteria; Bacteriology
Though there can be no doubt as to the virulence of tuberculous milk,
it may be remembered with satisfaction that only about two per cent.
of tuberculous cows have unmistakably tubercular milk. Even of this
tubercular milk, unless it is very rich in bacilli and is ingested
in large quantities, the risks are practically small or even absent.
Practically the danger from drinking raw milk exists only for persons
who use it as their sole or principal food, that is to say, young
children and certain invalids. With adults in normal health the danger
is greatly minimised, as the healthy digestive tract is relatively
insusceptible. Moreover, dairy milk is almost invariably _mixed_
milk; that is to say, if there is a tubercular cow in a herd yielding
tubercle bacilli in her milk, the addition of the milk of the rest of
the herd so effectually _dilutes_ the whole as to render it almost
innocuous.
But if for practical purposes we look upon all milk derived from
tubercular udders as highly infective, we may adopt a comparatively
simple and efficient remedy. To avoid all danger it is sufficient to
bring the milk to a boil for a few minutes before it is consumed; in
fact, the temperature of 85° C. (160° F.) prolonged for five minutes
kills all bacilli. The common idea that boiled milk is indigestible,
and that the boiling causes it to lose much of its nutritive value, is
largely groundless.
Milk may become tubercular through the carelessness or dirty habits of
the milker. Such a common practice as moistening the hands with saliva
previously to milking may, in cases of tubercular milkers, effectually
contaminate the milk. Again, it may become polluted by dried tubercular
excreta getting into it. Such conveyances must be of rare occurrence,
yet their possibility should not be forgotten.
An infant suckled by a tuberculous mother would run similarly serious
risks of becoming infected with the disease.
In Liverpool, Dr. E. W. Hope, the Medical Officer of Health, has
organised an admirable system of examination by skilled bacteriologists
to find to what degree the Liverpool milk supply is contaminated
with tubercle. The final result of this pioneer work, which ought
really to be undertaken by every great corporation responsible to the
citizens for a pure water and pure milk supply, is to the effect that
in Liverpool 5.2 per cent. of the samples of milk taken from the city
shippons contains tubercle bacilli. As regards the milk sent in from
the country, the return is that 13.4 per cent. is contaminated with the
bacillus of tubercle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account