COW'S MILK AND TUBERCULOSIS.
By L. A. S.
The opinion of the eminent Dr. Koch, of Berlin, that tuberculosis is not transmissible from the milk or flesh of cows to human beings, comes far short of meeting with universal acceptance. Many contradictory views are expressed, and among these is one which comes to us from the Michigan State Board of Health, in the Teachers' Sanitary Bulletin. The subject of the “Infectiousness of Milk of Tuberculous Cows” is quite fully considered, and examples are cited to sustain the conclusions reached. The following conclusions were arrived at:— “ 1. Milk of tuberculous cows is liable to be infected with tubercle bacilli. “ 2. Milk is especially liable to be infectious when from a cow that has tubercular disease of the udder. “ 3. Milk infected with tubercle bacilli is known to cause the death of calves fed on it; also the death of pigs fed on it. “ 4. There is reason to believe that milk infected with tubercle bacilli causes the death of many children, and tubercular disease of many other children, fed on such milk. The great proportion of deaths from tubercular disease of the bowels, and from tubercular meningitis, in children at the ages when usually fed on cow's milk, is corroborative evidence of this. “ 5. Tuberculosis is not usually transmitted from cow to calf by heredity. “ 6. At the present time tuberculosis is not caused by the timothy bacillus, nor by any saprophyte; the disease is caused by the bacillus tuberculosis, which is a true parasite; and the disease is spread (directly and indirectly) only from infected animals and persons. “ 7. Tuberculosis in cows is easily restricted. “ 8. As a measure of pecuniary economy to citizens of the State, and also in the interest of the public health, it is the imperative duty of the State to promptly take such action that tuberculosis in cows shall be restricted; and that the present very considerable and unnecessary waste of human life because of infected milk shall be stopped.” Although doctors disagree on this subject, it is certainly best to be on the safe side, and heat all milk not positively known to be free from tubercular germs, to the boiling point, before using.