UNDULANT FEVER

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21329, 23 November 1934, Page 20

UNDULANT FEVER

to rim Km-iuR or inv. piibss. Sir, As a consumer of milk I am much interested in the various letters in your correspondence columns about steps taken to protect the public from the danger of imdulant fever. "House-holder" suggests that all milk should be pasteurised. Pasteurisation would be no guarantee of immunity, and dietitians, without exception, agree that pasteurisation spoils the food value, though it is a subject on which, doctors differ. The official report of an experiment with 20,000 school children taking a daily ration of milk in Scotland contains the following paragraph:—"The question of the relative merits of pasteurised and raw milk remains open, but it. would appear that pasteurised milk, like separated milk, as a supplementary ration to the usual mixed and variable diet of the household, is a potent growth-producing factor." The only sane method of dealing with this matter seems to be that followed by the officer in charge of the Health Department, Christchurch; that is to make the supply safe from its source. I understand that in the ease of a recent, death in this country from undulanl. fever, the man was faking large quantities or milk from one particular cow. I have been informed by a doctor recently returned from England, and interested in this subject, that medical authorities there are of the opinion that milk from various herds of cows should be mixed. The reason for this is that all food, especially milk, is subject to contamination, and should milk be taken from one cow, and that cow prove to be suffering from sonic disease, the individual would be faking the bacteria in such quantities that the system would be unable lo throw if off. The mixing of various cows' milk makes for safety in Ibis respect. The number of eases of undulant fever in New Zealand are almost negligible, and to suggest spoiling one of the most important articles of diet for the whole population, by pasteurisation, in order to protect the public against a risk that is so small that it need hardly be considered, seems to me to be absurd.—Yofirs, etc., DIETITIAN. November 22, 1934. TO THB BDITOI OT THE TRUSS. Sir,—Permit mo to offer the sincere thanks of one (.who has been confined to his bed for the last week through drinking milk) for your action in. re-

porting the Waimairi controversy at a council meeting. The main question that is troubling everyone is this: Who supplied the diseased milk and what steps are being taken to punish the vendor? The children's milk supply is very important indeed, but surely others require protecting also. What about the main supply? The slimy mess left in the bottom of bottles after use is complained of by all housewives. The epidemic of swollen throats and glands that is at present so prevalent in this district may be easily traced to milk and the comfortable superiority of medical tone that doubtless attributes this to "flu" cuts but little ice with sufferers. The public demands proper supervision and cleanliness, and in spite oC the Health Officer's assurances I do not believe we are getting it; and T am not alone in this belief. A man has been killed by drinking milk. Who is responsible? What is being done in the matter? Whilst everyone is sorry for the present condition of the dairy industry it behoves those in charge of the public health to be extra vigilant in inspecting the doubtful stuff that is being passed off on local consumers as "butter." Invariably after one day's keeping the rancid "yellowy'' mess that is called by this name is unfit for use—no wonder indeed that Britain refuses it, but local people are compelled to use it, and I am firmly convinced that it will become steadily worse as "the exigencies of the trade" demand. I should like to thank "Vigilant and "The Press."—Yours, etc., CLEAN MILK PRODUCTS. November 120, 1934. [.This letter was referred to Dr. T. Fletcher Telford. Medical Officer of Health, who said: "In reply to your correspondent's remarks, the man referred to as being notified as suffering from undulant fever before his death did not die as the direct result or that infection, but from quite another condition, namely, pernicious anaemia. The Health Department is only concerned with milk when it is in readiness for sale. All stages prior to this are the responsibility of the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture. Further than this I have no reply to make. "J