NEW YORK MILK COMMITTEE 71 



from milk infection and only four from the human infection. 

 So that, while it is true, I think, that only about nine per 

 cent of the New York babies that die from tuberculosis die 

 from milk infection, where eighty per cent of them were 

 breast-fed, yet, where they were all on cow's milk, over half of 

 them who died of tuberculosis were found to have the bovine 

 type. 



I may say that, so far as the older children go, the per- 

 centage of tuberculosis to milk is higher, but here it is no 

 longer fatal tuberculosis, but was recovered from in most cases. 



We have been trying to find out what this means, and to 

 interpret these figures. We find that a great deal of bron- 

 chitis and marasmus in infants is really tuberculosis. When 

 we consider that far the greater number of cases in adult 

 lives are due to human infection, we believe that only two or 

 three per cent of all cases of tuberculosis are due to bovine 

 infection, because so many more cases of tuberculosis occur 

 from twenty years on until deaath. But you see, among 

 children, the bovine infection is extremely marked, and you see 

 again, that the dirt and the bacteria that we find in children's 

 milk has a very decided effect on infant mortality, as is proved 

 when its results are contrasted with those of a general milk 

 and a children's milk free from tubercle bacilli. Likewise, we 

 who are grown up may drink dirty and bacteria-laden milk al- 

 most with impunity, if we choose to do so. 



I think it is most interesting to note that those who are 

 working in different cities in different ways agree so nearly on 

 some of these things, although, as Dr. Sedgwick says, it has 

 been apparent in the past that there were many diverse ways 

 of looking at it. 



THE CHAIRMAN: In connection with Dr. Park's very illuuminat- 

 ing contribution to the meeting this evening, I think we should 

 always bear in mind the wonderful experience of Japan, where, 

 until recently, they used no cow's milk, but where tuberculosis 

 is as prevalent as in any other country. One fact of that kind 

 is worth a bushel of guessing and supposing and theorizing. It 

 is extremely interesting to find that this falls in so well with Dr. 

 Park's researches. 



No meeting of this kind would be complete without a word 

 from the Department of Agriculture, because, while we are mostly 



