PERFECTING BABIES’ FOOD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3149, 22 July 1914, Page 23

PERFECTING BABIES’ FOOD.

ADDRESS BY DR TRUBY KING. WHAT THE TAIERI AND PENINSULA DAIRY COMPANY IS DOING. A feature of the meeting of the Society for the Promotion «>f the Health of Women and Children on tho 17th was an instructive address by Dr Truby King. Dr King, referring to representations from the Auckland branch of the ''society, made at tho annual conference in Wellington last week, pleading that the Government should bo asked to take further steps in the direction of ensuring adequate supervision and safeguarding of domestic milk supplies throughout the dominion, described what is contemplated in connection with tho Taicri and Peninsula Company. He had seen the manager last month and found him extremely sympathetic and anxious to do anything feasible in tho way of further perfecting the modified milk prepared for babies in Dunedin. Dr King pointed out that even now tho humanised milk made at the Taicri Factory is heated to only 145 deg Fahr., which is found to be quite high enough, if maintained for .half an hour, to kill all tubercle bacilli and other disease germs. He explained that this meant merely warming the milk to the temperature at which we take our tea and coffee, and that the latest investigations showed, that, while th : s sufficed to kill tho objectionable germs, it loft the. natural vital principles of the milk—the so-called “ vitamines ” and “enzymes”—practically unchanged. However, it is felt that the nearer the approach can bo made, with safety, to tho use- of absolutely raw unhcated milk in the preparation of humanised milk, tho better. Dr King is confident that, iu the course of tho next few months, it will be possible to reach a further stage towards perfection in Dunedin, by merely submitting the best and freshest milk procurable, as used in the preparation of humanised milk, . to high tension electric stimulation, so as to kill tho germs by a kind of electrocution—leaving the milk itself otherwise unchanged. This process, which has passed the theoretical _ stage, since Dr King saw Professor Beattie’s experiments at Liverpool University last year, bids fair to solve the problem of further perfecting the milk supply for young children, even if it should prove too expensive, or otherwise impracticable, for general use. The society in Dunedin is fortunate in having the backing and help of tho Taieri and Peninsula Company in putting a scheme of this kind into practice, and in being sure of the personal sympathy' and scientific assistance of Professor Champtaloup in making sure that all will be right on tho bacteriological side. In answer to a question from one of tho members, Dr King explained that tho proposal to use electricity in connection with tho preparation of humanised milk in Dunedin did not affect the question of the desirability of municipalising, or otherwise safeguarding, tho milk supplies, especially m the North Island. No pains should bo spared to ensure universal cleanliness of dairies and proper moans of safeguarding and deliveripg pure cooled milk as soon as possible after milking. No after-treatment could make dirty milk clean, though the killing of the organisms minimised the risks of disease. PREPARATION OF HUMANISED , MILK. Tho following extract, submitted to the mooting by the speaker, from a letter by

the Gisborne honorary secretary, -which arrived too lato for tho annual conference in Wellington, was read ; “ I am instructed by tho Executive Committee of the Gisborne Plunket Society to write to you with regard to tho remit from Auckland regarding tho difficulties of tho milk supply. “ This is a difficulty which has arisen in our district, and has presented a very serious obstacle in the way of preparing £ood humanised milk. lam requested to say that our committee will be very glad if the conference can make tliis matter one for _ its grave consideration. In semitropical districts like Gisborne and Auckland it is a matter of vital importance, and as more local branches are started in this part of' the North Island, it will affect the work of -each new branch. The sooner therefore that some practical suggestions aro made to cope with the difficulty the better.”