THE CITY MILK SUPPLY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25514, 19 April 1944, Page 3

THE CITY MILK SUPPLY

Sir—ln spite of evidence supplied by local medical authorities, and propaganda by others in favour of a compulsory milk pasteurisation scheme for Dunedin, I believe the case for clean raw milk far outscores in points those in favour of the " cooked ” variety. While listening to a speaker at the recent meeting in the Concert Hall, I gathered from him that the city area, suburbs included, was sufficient, if all the small vendors were eliminated, to warrant the installation of the expensive machinery now ordered from overseas, and, of course, pay a dividend to the shareholders of the recently reorganised company. Last year a move similar to the one now made in Dunedin to set up a centralised vested interest in milk, was launched in Melbourne, and a letter sent by F. G. Roberts, a well-known Melbourne consulting dietitian, to Mr N. A. Martin, who was recently endeavouring to pilot a compulsory milk pasteurisation bill through tire stormy waters of the State Parliament, should be *of interest to your readers. Mr Roberts wrote: I have read a copy of your recent speech on the Milk Pasteurisation Bill with very great interest. After a careful survey and study of the subject over a period of 30 years I would be very, very sorry to see such a Bill made law. What the community needs is good milk, fresh milk, certified milk (which is obtainable in most advanced countries from tuberculin-tested herds under strict supervision controlled by the Health Department). You have explained very fully the value of pasteurisation from your point of view; but there is another side to the picture. The harmfulness of pasteurisation, when studied without prejudice and vested interest, will, I feel sure, outweigh pasteurisation. (1) The bacterial count of cow's milk varies, as does the character of germs, depending upon the source and conditions under which it is collected and kept. Contamination occurs through the hands of the milkers, stable dirt, unclean utensils, etc. When milk is pasteurised, many kinds of bacteria and germs are killed or destroyed, leaving pathogenic soil behind. This means that disease-producing soil is fed to our voung children, and then we read an account of over 4000 children stricken with infantile paralysis or typhoid fever, etc., etc. (2) Pasteurisation means raising the temperature to between 140 degrees and 145 degrees Fahrenheit, which destroys Vitamin C (anti-scor-butic), lowers the resistance to disease, and, with the added pathogenic condition. is a source of high infantile deathrate and the malnutrition among our children. (3) When milk is pasteurised, most of the lactic acid-producing organisms are destroyed, but certain proliolytic spore-bearers survive. This putri-t factive growth produces pathogens. These organisms are capable of producing specific infectious diseases, such as bacillus abortus and bacillus diphtherias. . ... . A lengthy epistle could be written in favour of raw milk, but I hope these few lines will help you to see the true picture from both sides. From a nutritional health standpoint, raw milk, obtained and distributed under strict hygienic supervision, must outweigh pasteurised milk. —I am, etc., C. E- **•

Sir,—The Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians embraces all branches of medicine —not only clinical medicine, but also pathology,'bacteriology, and public health. At the comitia held on April 26, 1936, the following report passed without dissentient voice: “The Royal College of Physicians is satisfied —(1) That a daily ration of milk is important for the growth and health of children; (2) that the risk of tuberculosis and other diseases following the consumption of raw milk is considerable; (3) that such risk can be obviated by the use of milk submitted to low-temperature pasteurisation; (4) that such pasteurisation does not materially interfere with the nutritive value of the milk.” The college at the same time realised that it was important that milk should be produced from cows free from infection and under conditions of cleanliness. Milk, being the finest food for human beings, is also a fine medium for harmful organisms to grow in. These can be destroyed effectually by proper pasteurisation. When this is done and the present milk supply is made safe, let us get on with the eradication of milk-borne diseases, such as tuberculosis, Br. abortus, mastitis, etc As aforesaid, milk is the finest food in the world. We need more of it, but it must be clean, pure, and safe. For the benefit of our great nation let the medical and veterinary professions, sanitarians, producers, and distributors accept this great responsibility, each one accepting his share, all co-operating to attain the desired object for an adequate healthy, safe milk supply that will increase the health and prosperity of the nation as a whole.—l am, etc.. Advance Dunedin.

Sir, —I would like to add my opinion about our milk. I was reared on a dairy farm at Home. I have lived here for the last 40 odd years, and have never used anything but raw milk, which we scalded in hot weather. I have reared a family of five, all strong and healthy men and women, and I say, do not force sane people to trust any tampering with our present good milk supply.—l am, etc.. Common Sense. Sir, —All who. like myself. haVe had experience of farming and delivery of milk, will agree that farming and delivery are, and should be, two separate jobs. No man can give proper attention to his cattle and farm if he has to spend half the morning in town delivering milk. I suggest that the milk question should be municipalised in the following manner: (1) A central supply depot should be established where all milk should be taken to be pasteurised and bottled. As the average farmer starts to milk his cows at 4 a.m., the milk should begin to arrive at the central depot about 6 a.m., and delivery could start at 7 a.m. This would prevent anyone from being disturbed from the early morning sleep. The price of milk should be 3Jd a pint all the year round. This would give each farmer a reasonable all-year price for his milk, and would cover the cost of collecting. The payment of milk by some people is very thoughtless. For instance. compare the selling of milk with the selling of beer, which is sold in an hotel. Milk is delivered to your door every morning of every day In the year at 3d a pint. Beer is sold at the hotel and you pay cash for' it, and go and get it.- Yet there are some people who give their milkman the last thought when it comes to paying for their milk. There are many who do not want pasteurised milk. Yet at a time when Dunedin was under snow I was one of many who were delivering milk, and the householders-did not care what' kind of milk they had as long as it was milk. So why should those people prevent Dunedin from keeping up with the times?—l am, etc., April 16. Milkman.

Sir, —After reading the letter by " Bnllswool ” in Thursday’s issue of the Daily Times would any housewife in New Zealand want to use pasteurised milk? His description of the filthy condition of the pipes through which the milk was drawn is sufficient to make us all abhor the very, mention of pasteurised milk. Before advocating pasteurisation Dr Hercus should personally sec that' it is carried out under perfectly hygienic conditions. —I am, etc.. Daily Inspection Required. [The letter of “ Bullswool ” did not relate to present-day conditions.—Ed. O.D.T.]

Sir, —May I, after 40 years’ experience in milk production and distribution, say something on this subject? lam surprised to read in the Daily Times that yet another organisation has come to light to try to control something about the producion of which it knows nothing. I think most primary producers will agree when I say that the present low production has been caused by this very thing. As one who sat through the whole sitting of the commission in Dunedin, I came away with the opinion, that the commission was only an education for the then Minister of Agriculture, who advised the Christchurch dairyman to reduce the quality in order to increase the quantity. We hear a lot about pasteurised milk, but pasteurising bad milk will not make it good, nor will it make dirtv milk clean, which seems to be the sole purpose of pasteurisation in Dunedin at the present time, I wonder how many of our farmers’ sons now fighting in this war were brought up on pasteurised milk? I think none. Yet 75 percent. passed as fit. The heaviest fine in the milk industry in Denmark before the war was for faulty pasteurisation, £IOO Thefe is something the new organisation can do for the dairyman if it comes into being, and that is to require all customers to have a box at their front gate to hold the milk billy. I have in my 40 years’ experience lost a lot of time going from the front gate to the back door, there to cool my heels while the housewife finished her dressing or bath and then, having been out the night before still has the billy to wash. The postman will not deliever’ letters unless a post box is at the front gate. May I offer a word of warning to the promoters of this organisation to go canny or they may kill the cow that gives the golden milk and raise the price to 9d per quart? I think it is time the dairymen woke up and formed a federation', when they could do away with the 80-hour week. The present Vendors’ Association seems to have ” gone west.” or its officials are sitting on the fence waiting to see which way the cat will jump.—l am. etc.. A. Spoor. Pine Hill. April 15.

Sir, —I sincerely hope that pure fresh milk will always be available to Dunedin citizens. While living there we received good, clean, fresh milk from the dairyman, and my children as babies \ never had milk that was more than warmed, and they are vigorous and healthy. My younger child, aged about three years, has scarcely seen an orange, and yet has never had a day’s illness, even when teething. Devitalised pasteurised milk may be less injurious to people possessing an unlimited supply of oranges to provide the vitamins, but we In the south have not this supply. T nuota

hereunder from two recent meoncai worns on the subject. The first, an American one, says: ‘‘ The physician tells you never to feed pasteurised milk to a growing baby. He also tells you never to give it to people who are really sick. The fact that scientific experiments prove that only fresh, raw, whole milk is healthful for human consumption ought to convince an intelligent person that there must be something wrong with pasteurised milk. It is 'a constipating fluid, but not a splendid food. Put pasteurised milk on your list as one of the foods that break you.” In his book, another doctor, a New Zealander, says: “ Never cook infant’s milk,” and advocates only " raw, unpasteurised cow’s milk.” I agree entirely with them. If a high standard were aimed at by all dairymen it would be a crime to pasteurise milk. And it will be a crime if vital fresh milk is denied us and our children. I sincerely hope that when we return to Dunedin after the war we will be able to get it.—l am, etc., Open Windows. Waitahuna, April 15.

Sir, —During the discussion on the milk question, reference has been made to the Wellington scheme and its success. From some knowledge I have, all is not completely happy. Councillor Munro, M.P., wants complete municipal control. I am positive the producers are not in harmony with his views, and I shall be very greatly mistaken if there is more than a very small percentage of our citizens in favour of such methods. As for private enterprise, it is quite in order that a company should be prepared to invest £50,000 provided there is no monopoly of producers’ labour and production, and that the company sells its pasteurised milk on its merits. If the company is not prepared to do this, there is a wonderful opportunity for an investment by it. Mr Amery wants 100 per cent, more butter for the Britain which saved the world from Nazism, and as there are thousands of idle acres around Dunedin and elsewhere the investors would be doing a great national effort in producing more butter-fat. This would help to restore the 2000 odd cows that have gone out of production from Waikouaiti to the Taieri Plain over the last 12 months. Many hundreds of thousands of pounds, representing the toil and slogging of several generations, have been put into the farms to bring them into a state of production. There is an abundance of land available for production to supply all who can use milk. Any firm requiring a large quantity of milk in the manufacture of foodstuffs and institutions should have the liberty of making their own arrangements to obtain necessary supplies by contract or from a farm under their own supervision. The taxpayer is maintaining health, dairy, and other inspectors, at a very considerable cost, to ensure cleanliness and health, and it must be considered that these officials are carrying out their duties. '

In speaking to people in all walks of life —city councillors, managers, bank officials. many housewives, and men in the factory with whom I have worked —I have yet to find the first person who desires pasteurised milk. They condemn flavour, keeping quality, and the smell after a few hours, when they cannot drink it. All are emphatic, “ I certainly want raw milk.” Is there any business firm in our Dominion that gives its customer something for nothing? Those sound dairy producer-vendors are the only individuals I know- of who do this. The butter-fat content of milk supplied to consumers is required to be 3.25 per cent, butter-fat. I know of dairymen who have paid over 100 guineas for Jersey heifers, and who supplv milk that has more than a 5 per cent, test, while others run very near that percentage, so that these producer-vendors are giving their customers food value that is 50 per cent, and more above that which is necessary to comply with the regulations. Their interest in providing such a good article in our food group should receive the gratitude of the consumer. It is a physical impossibility for any depot or company to deliver milk that is as fresh as that which the producervendor can supply. It. is our duty to see that our men who are serving our nation and who come and desire to take up a dairy farm to produce milk for the consumer shall have the freedom of sale of his product derived from his toil, initiative, and investment. I know two good brothers who would now have been in a producer-veridor dairy—and I Suess there are many others—but who are both serving their nation overseas. If this •freedom is denied them, all of us who have fought to preserve our nation will have fought in vain, and the cream of our British manhood whom we left on those far-off soils will have fought and died in vain. We must not betray them. —I am. etc.. C. April 18.