MORE MILK REFORMERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 99, 28 April 1909, Page 6

MORE MILK REFORMERS.

UNDESIRABLE "BUDD'EISM." PRESERVING THE DIRT. Whenever a practicable milk-reforming scheme is framed for the benefit of Wei- ' lington enthusiasts arise and announce that they can go "one better." Hence has come the advocacy of the tincture of hydrogen peroxide (in addition to other tinctures commonly used) for the preservation of milk, which, in the ordinary course, would speedily become unpleasant to the nose and palate by reason of the dirt organisms. The use of hydrogen peroxide in other countries has apparently been "discovered" by one of The Post's .contemporaries, and has been hailed as "an important discovery." It is argued that it is more important to put nydrogen peroxide into doubtful milk than to take precautions to ensure :i healthful uncontaminated supply from the cow. The buddeising process of doctoring the milk does not owe its name to the Hon. Buddo, the new Minister for Public Health. It is tho invention .if Dr. Budde, of Cohenhagen, who patented his idea, several years ago. The process was mentioned in books published as far back as 1906. One eminent authority, after admitting that the peroxide would kill germs, if the solution was strong enough, wrote: — "It is sincerely to be ■hoped that the fact that the milk will, ultimately, bo sterilised will not lead to further carelessness on the part of milkproducers or dairymen." The peroxide takes away the evil taste and smell cf tainted milk. Dr. Frengley, in his comprehensive report to the City Council's Milk Committee, did not overlook the peroxide. '"Various antiseptics," he stated, "or preservatives, or disinfectants, are used to prevent or retard the growth of, or destroy, the organisms in milk. I think the consideration of this aspect may be dismissed with this reeflction : When, as is clearly established, the 'going bad' of milk is recognised as due to the introduction of dust and dirt, why seek to preserve, not the milk, but the dirt in the milk? I therefore dismiss consideration of buddeised milk — the addition of the preservative or antiseptic hydrogen peroxide. This substance, white well known by ladies to produce a much-desired and fashionable tint of the Jiair, does not seem to me to be quite a good application for a child's stomach." The District Health Officer also stressed another important point. The use of sterilised milk (including the buddeised article) is apt to cause rickets, anaemia, scurvy, and other ailments in children. Estimates, prepared in England, state that the cost of the process of buddeising milk would be at least £d per gallon, and, of course, the expense would be more heavy in New Zealand, where the chemical is not so cheap. For an outlay of id to |d a 'gallon, it is contended that the City CouncU can operate a scheme for giving the people sound milk, with its sweetness dependent on cleanliness, and not on chemicals.