572 Traiisaclions. — Miscellaneous. 



children, the experience of centuries has proved its worth. 

 Its vakie compared with that of other common foods can be ap- 

 preciated by anyone acquainted with the difference in strength 

 and appearance between children reared where a supply of 

 milk is abundant and those whose stomachs are constantly 

 -oppressed by the heavy work of trying to digest bacon and 

 other cheap meats, which, w"ashed down by copious libations 

 of tea, form the staple food of the poor in many large towns 

 in Britain. Even in country districts not far distant from 

 ■our own town, settlers do not see the advantage of a good 

 supply of milk for their children, and- the pale dyspeptic coun- 

 tenances of the young folks are the reward of a diet arranged 

 by the ignorance, carelessness, or laziness of their parents. 



The milk of domestic animals has from remote ages been 

 generally used by civilized peoples, but there is at the present 

 time an increased recognition of its value as a food, and a 

 growing demand for it. The extension of railways and other 

 facilities for its speedy conveyance to centres of population 

 have enabled an increasing demand to be satisfied ; and enact- 

 ments against adulteration have given confidence to consumers 

 and protection to honest farmers and dairymen. It has been 

 estimated that in England there is a daily consumption of 

 such an amount of fresh milk as would, if equally divided 

 amongst the whole population, allow one-fifth of a pint to 

 ■each individual in the country ; and this amount, great as it 

 is, represents only one-third of the total milk-consuniiDtion : 

 the remainder is made into butter and cheese and other manu- 

 factured articles of food. The fact of such an enormous con- 

 sumption of milk is sufficient to suggest the greatly injurious 

 influence the milk -supply may have on the health of the 

 nation unless adequate precautions are taken to insure that a 

 pure article is sux^plied — milk neither adulterated nor contain- 

 ing in it the germs of disease. 



That much preventible sickness is due to the use of a bad 

 quality of milk is certain, and it may also be regarded as 

 ■decided that milk may be the means of transmitting diseases 

 of a specific nature, such as the fevers, typhoid, scarlatina, 

 measles, and diphtheria ; also tuberculosis or consumption, 

 and possibly leprosy. 



For convenience we may consider diseases caused by 

 means of milk under two heads — (1) Derangements of diges- 

 tion due to a bad quality of milk consumed ; (2) specific in- 

 fectious diseases. 



"We will first deal shortly with the derangements of diges- 

 tion which occur chiefly in children under two years of age. 

 These digestive troubles may follow the use of milk from cows 

 fed upon some food wliich, passing into their milk, renders it 

 more diflicult of digestion, or itself exerts a directly harmful 



