THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10954, 2 May 1901, Page 4

THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

c Wellington is undenting a period of agitation just now on the subject Oj. a pure milk supply. Letters and articles on the question hare been published, giving the views of the producers, the vendors, and the consumers, and the general tendency appears to _3 for each to throw the blame a ! for any dissatisfaction which may exist ' j upon "the other fellow." The producer claims that the milk, as it leaves his dairy, is pure, and that it is the method of the vendor, in keeping it amid insanitary surroundings before disposing of it ,to tbe consumer, and in not cleansing his canproperly, that causes its deterioration. The vendor asserts that the producer's milking • sheds and dairy are not all they should be in point of cleanliness, and also blames ■ the consumer for not thoroughly cleaning j the jug or can used for the reception of ! j the morning or afternoon's delivery of i milk. Tho consumer makes complaints s i bath the prodnc-cr and tihe vendor. [ and the triangular duel proceeds right merrily. Meanwhile the question is asked, ! why this controversy at all? Ample pro- \ vision is made under the Municipal Cor- , porations Act for safeguarding the public [ h-alth in the matter of tihe milk supply, s and the quest.:on is one of suc_ importance that there can be no excuse' for neglect on tho pa it of the municipal authorities. In Parliament last session, Mr. Ell drew the attention of the Government to the large number of deaths which occur in the colony annually from consumption, and the Minister of Public Health has considered the matter sufficiently serious to place tuberculosis ia the category of infectious diseases, under- the Public Health Act. If it is deemed desirable to take this step, it is equally necessary to exercise every precaution to prevent the spread of t-be._culc-s_s through the use of meat' and milk from tuberculous animals. The Royal Commission appointed by the Imperial Parliament in 1898 to enquire into the best mean, of chocking the -danger from using tuberculous food, came to the conclusion that there was a tendency to exaggerate the extent of the -risk arising from the consumption of meat. Milk, on the other hand, was no doubt responsible for the largest part of the tuberculosis which man obtains through his food. Meat, as a rule, is sufficiently well cooked to destroy infective matter, but milk is largely used raw. It has been proved over and over again that milk from tuberculous udders, and even milk which has been purposely contaminated with tuberculous matter, can be rendered perfectly harmless by being boiled for one minute, and it would be thought, under the circumstances, that every householder would take the precaution of seeing that his daily milk supply underwent this process. Still, it is not- done by a large proportion of people, chiefly from carelessness, though sometimes from a dislike of bgiicd milk. Apart from the duty of the householder, how-aver, there is the duty of the State and the municipality, to see that the milk supply comes from ft clean, source and reaches the consumer uncontaminated. Miik is so susceptible to deleterious germ life that cleanly surroundings are essential to its purity. Cleanliness i*s what should be imperatively insisted on in the handling and keeping of milk from the cowshed to * the consumer. We believe that something ; is being done to attain thi3 end in Christ- [ church, and trust that no pains will he ( spared in the way of rigorous inspection i to ensure that the milk supply of the city ! and suburbs is all that it should be.