BACTERIA IN MILK.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 78, 9 April 1913, Page 5

BACTERIA IN MILK.

EFFECT ON CHILDREN. At the Food Commission in Sydney, Mr A. H. Collett, secretary of the Metropolitan Dairymen’s Association, said that lie desired, on behalf of the association, to refer to the statement made by Dr. Clubbo and reported in the newspapers—“that, if you take a bacteria count of any milk in Sydney, you would not get under 1,000,000, and in most cases it would be three to four millions per cubic centimetre. People do not seem to mind it. The milk we drink must contain a great deal more bacteria per cubic centimetre than sewage.” Mr Collett said he was not speaking on the subject from a scientific point of view, but from experience and practical knowledge; and, with all due respect to scientists, he considered that 1 milk could be supplied to children without boiling, and ho would endeavour to prove it. The statement made by Dr. Clubbe had caused a wrong , impression, and had created quite a scare. Ho had sent out circulars to the members of the Dairymen’s Association, asking them how long they had been dairying, how many children they had, if they were fed on the milk .they retailed, and if so, had the milk been fresh or boiled; also, if they reserved milk for their own use or took it from the carts after they had finished their rounds; and, further, as to the state of the health of their children.

Between 80 and 90 replies had been received, and these he handed over to the Commission, stating that any ot the writers would be willing to give evidence.

The members of the association claimed that any bacteria in the fresh milk was pot injurious, and their children thrived on the milk and did not suffer any consequences from its use. The experience of dairymen and milk vendors, as expressed by the answers received to the circulars, was that they had about 400 children in families ranging from one to 14; only six of the ipilkmen boiled their milk for home use, and only nine of them reserved milk for their own private consumption. The milkman’s family was treated worse than the public, as from the time the cows were milked until the carts returned from the rounds was about five hours, and, if bacteria developed, the residue milk, which was used by the milkman’s family, should be the worst. As a fact, it was stated, the children generally of a milkman or dairyman were excep tionally robust and healthy, and they nearly all fed oh the fresh milk returned in the carts.