WHY THERE IS A MILK PROBLEM 23 



The epidemic of "tonsillitis," or septic sore throat, 

 put down in this table was notable not only on account 

 of its extent but also because it was spread by raw milk 

 derived from a supply subject to expert sanitary super- 

 vision. The disease has been brought into prominence 

 through a number of epidemics in recent years. 10 In 

 some instances the infection has been ascribed to 

 human sources, e. g., carriers of streptococci; in others 

 it has been ascribed to udder inflammation in dairy 

 cows. 



The transmission of bovine tuberculosis to man 

 through the medium of milk is now well recognized. 

 The question of the amount of human tuberculosis of 

 bovine origin has been the subject of much research, 

 conspicuously by British and German commissions and 

 the Research Laboratory of New York City. We can 

 treat the subject but summarily here. Dr. William H. 

 Park has summed up the evidence and concludes that, 

 in New York City (italics inserted) : 



About 7 per cent of the infants and young children under 

 5 years of age dying from tuberculosis do so because of in- 

 fection derived from infected milk or milk products. Fatal 

 tuberculosis due to bovine bacilli is rare in those over 5 years 

 of age, but, on the other hand, infection of the lymph nodes 

 is frequent; 30 per cent or more of tubercular lymph nodes 

 occurring in children between 5 and 16 are contracted 

 through bovine bacilli. 11 



Applying Dr. Park's figure to the percentage of 

 deaths from tuberculosis under five years of age in the 

 Registration Area (approximately 7 per cent of the 

 total tuberculosis) would indicate (omitting the rare 



