PASTEURISED MILK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22221, 23 September 1935, Page 12

PASTEURISED MILK

Sir, —Dr. G. B. Chapman, when turing to the Overseas League on Thursday advocated the consumption of' one quart of milk per day; but specified '"unpasteurized" milk. On the other hand, Lord Hordcr, a leading medical authority, speaking in Auckland a fiiw days ago, said he believed all milk should be pasteurised. The Dairy Coinmission, in their report two j'wors ago, advocated an increased consume tion of milk locally, but made out a very strong ca.sc for pasteurisation, quoting at. length from a leading article in the British Medical Journal to show the danger of infection from various disease-carrying organisms. An American authority. Dr. J A,. Tobey, says that, "For all practical purpose* pasteurised milk is the same as ordinary raw whole milk of high quality . . . of the vitamins contained in milk, only one is at all seriously modified by pasteurisation," and goes on to say there is a partial destruction of vitamin C. which, as Dr. Chapman lias shown, can be' replaced by citrus fruit or vegetables. Dr. Tobey also wrote interestingly of a special vitamin D milk scientifically produced for children with rickets. Althoueb this was produced under ideal conditions it was pasteurised and this was shown to have no adverse effect on the vitamin D potency of the milk. These viev.a are so much at variance with Dr. Chauman's adrocacy of unpasteurised milk that I cannot help thinking he lias in mind the oldfashicned method ol pasteurisation bv heating to ISO or ICHJ degrees. The usual " method now is to heat the milk to 143 or 145, holding it at that tempera- . ture for 30 minutes and then chilling it. The Health Department has issued a warning against the supplying of unsafe milk to the children in the schools. The only milk in this city which can be guaranteed safe is that which is pasteurised. J. S Momgoiizbm-