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minds of the public, fostered to a considerable extent by the commercial interests of raw-milk vendors, that the process ot pasteurization is harmful to the quality of the milk. The antagonism to pasteurized milk in the minds of the public is probably much more apparent than real—evidence was available to the Commission in more than one centre that raw-milk vendors, especially in the low-production winter period, made up their shortages by purchasing pasteurized milk from the treating-houses. The customer was not informed that he was actually receiving pasteurized milk, and presumably firmly believed he was receiving raw milk. In another case evidence was obtained that a " raw-milk " \ endor was purchasing pasteurized milk for his whole supply from one of the treating-houses, and his customers all apparently believed they wore receiving raw milk. It .is true that inefficient methods of pasteurization as practised by some of the treating-houses have assisted the distributor of raw milk in his criticism of pasteurized milk. It is also true in some cases where very-efficient pasteurizing-plants have been in use that the age and condition of the milk when it reached the pasteurizer was such as to make it impossible for milk of high standard to be delivered to the consuming public. It has been repeatedly stressed in all discussions on pasteurization that the process of pasteurization does not make bad milk, or milk of poor quality, good. It is simply a means, and should be used as a means, of making milk of high standard perfectly safe for human consumption. The widespread misunderstanding of the purpose and function of pasteurization leads the Commission to its recommendation that steps be taken to educate the public on the value of pasteurized milk rather than immediately to enforce its universal sale. At the same time, it would be necessary for the authority advocating the increased use of pasteurized bottled milk to ensure that the processing of milk complied with all the requirements of efficient pasteurization and bottling. Value and Danger of Milk The medical evidence and the evidence of nutritionists has emphasized that milk is an indispensable article of diet and a most valuable food. The same expert evidence has stressed the fact that milk is, at the same time, one of the most effective means for spreading infectious diseases both of bovine and of human origin. An article prepared by Dr. Whitehead, Bacteriologist, Dairy Research Institute, at the request of the Commission is published in the Appendix, and there is no need at this stage to enlarge upon the type and incidence of the diseases communicable to human beings through milk. But- m oui opinion the value of milk as a food, its universal use, and the danger of infection at all stages from the cow to the consumer must be kept in mind throughout this discussion of the subject of treatment. 1 lie Commission has formed the conclusion that the use of pasteurization in some instances has been adopted for the purpose of improving the keeping-qualities of the milk rather than for the essential purpose of making it safe for human consumption. Of the diseases normally described as milk-borne, many, if not the greater number, are of human origin, and the distribution of pasteurized milk by the can-and-dipper method must therefore be regarded as inconsistent with the protection of milk from all danger of recontamination. Recognizing this tact, it is impossible to escape the conclusion that the vending of pasteurized milk except in sealed containers is inconsistent with the purpose of providing the public with a safe milk. In Auckland and Dunedm large quantities of pasteurized milk are exposed to recontamination from the moment the milk leaves the pasteurizer until it is delivered to the consumer. Moreover, some of the methods oi pasteurization employed are such that protection of the milk from recontamination is impossible even during the process of cooling immediately following pasteurization. Furthermore, conditions in some of the factories are such as to make it unlikely that the milk can be declared free from pathogenic organisms even when coming from the pasteurizer. All that has been said above, however, is no indictment of the case for pasteurization, and the Commission is satisfied that pasteurization of milk is a desirable policy as a means of protecting public health and of ensuring that milk is at least safe from disease-producing organisms. Inefficient pasteurization will undoubtedly draw criticism from the opponents of pasteurization. But it would be illogical to assume that, because certain of the processing-plants employed in pasteurizing had been used not for the purpose of making the milk safe for human consumption, but for the purpose of improving its keeping-qualities, the principle of pasteurization had been in any way discredited. Need for Treatment On the evidence submitted by medical authority it must be concluded that the only satisfactory method of processing milk intended for consumption in liquid form is to pasteurize it while fresh and as it comes from the pasteurizer, to fill it direct into some form of clean and sterile container. The Commission recommends, therefore, that the Central Authority actively pursue the policy of encouraging adequate pasteurization of all milk sold, and that as early as possible it should be required that companies and private vendors distributing pasteurized milk should distribute such milk in sealed containers r lhe Commission has received information that there is no shortage of bottles, and there should be little difficulty in the way of giving effect to this recommendation. At the same time, we are of opinion that it would be unwise to attempt to enforce universal sale of pasteurized milk Educational methods stressing the value of milk and the importance of ensuring its safety will achieve this purpose in a much more desirable manner, and there is much to be said for the submission that no attempt should be made to compel all consumers to purchase pasteurized milk. Some people will stall demand raw milk, and their desires should be satisfied in the meantime; but they must be afforded a measure of protection, and the milk supplied to them should be as safe as possible. The Commission recommends, therefore, that all raw milk distributed to consumers must be from accredited " herds, from herds that have been T.B. tested at six-monthly intervals, and must be bottled at the source of production as soon as possible after milking. In this way a measure of protection will bo assured to the consumer, but the Commission would emphasize that it is not bv anv means 100 per cent, protection. Scope of Subject The term " treatment " in the minds of many people is applicable strictly to the process of pasteurization, but the Commission considers that it should be associated with daily sampling and testing of all milk prior to pasteurization in order to ensure that the quality of the milk is of the desired standard. It should be associated with bottling or filling into sealed containers immediately after pasteurization to protect against recontamination. These three matters of sampling testing and bottling of milk are therefore conveniently dealt with together.

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