TUBERCULOSIS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2311, 2 October 1908, Page 2

TUBERCULOSIS.

DANGERS OF SKIM MILK

REPORT BY MR. GILRUTH.

[SrECiAi, to “Times.”]

WELLINGTON, Oct. 1. Some interesting observations on the ravages of tuberculosis are contained in the annual report of Mr. J. A. Gilrutli, Chief ’Government Veterinarian. Instead of tlio prevalence of the disease amongst domestic stock being lessened, they are, says Mr. Gilrutli, being extended by means of a preventable cause, tlie skim milk, and wliey tanks of dairy factories. The natural remedy is the' pasteurisation of these residual products. The percentage of pigs found to bo tubercular at abattoirs and meat freezing works last year exceeds that of all the cattle. Considering, says Mr. • Gilrutli, • that the vast majority of pigs examined arc killed for bacon-curing purposes, which means at least that they are not full-grown, but are generally about a year old, the position is tlio more remarkable. It is proved by the returns that certain districts are more badv affected with porcine tuberculosis than others; these districts are found to be those that are also badly affected with bovine tuberculosis. Yet this does not explain the prevalence of the former, for the two animals are rarely herded together. Tlie connection is, however, apparent, when it is remembered that the young pigs, particularly those fattened for bacon, are largely led upon skim milk. This skim milk is returned from the factory, and it is seldom that the supplier receives the skim milk from Ins own whole milk alone. Two badly tubercular cows may contaminate the whole milk supply of a herd, and the skim milk of this may in turn contaminate the whole or a percentage of the young pigs of the owner or of another supplier to tlio same factory. Calves are without doubt frequently infected by means of milk, skimmed and whole, and tlio remedy, which Mr. Gilrutli says he has urged repeatedly for years, consists in the compulsory sterilisation of all skim milk at the factory before it is returned to the supplier. "Were this insisted upon, both the farmer and the general taxpayer would early feel the benefit. Until quite recently it was generally believed that cows not clinically tubercular, and by many that- those pot actually affected with tuberculosis in. the udder tissue itself were entirely innocuous from the point of view of their milk supply. For several years, however, the latter position lias become absolutely untenable. Of )ate facts have been adduced by different investigators which demonstrate in the. most conclusive manner that the milk of any cow suffering from tuberculosis may from time to time, though not,necessarily constantly, contain a greater or lesser number of living and virulent bacilli. DANGER IN THE MILK JUG,

Mr. Gilrutli points out how tremendous is the risk in supplying human beings, especially infants, until milk front cows which have not- been proved to be free from tuberculosis by tlie application of the tuberculin test. ,