THE MILK SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 77 



Dr. Schroeder observes in this connection that by far the largest 

 percentage of cases of human tuberculosis results from the ingestiori 

 of tubercle bacilli during the first five years of infant life, during 

 which period the food of the child is restricted exclusively to a milk 

 diet, and that the bacilli develop destructive virulence and energy 

 often during the " high school " period of education, when the worry 

 and mental strain of the child has reduced it to a condition of health 

 which makes it impossible to combat the attacks of the germs; and in 

 other cases at the age of approximately 25 years, when the worry and 

 anxiety which may be regarded as the natural accompaniment of the 

 initiation seriously into one's life work may be supposed to induce 

 inability to cope with the development of disease germs; and then, 

 again, in certain instances, about the age of 45, when those who are 

 failures in life's battle begin to realize the hopelessness of their 

 further endeavors toward success. It is significant that, at these 

 periods of life, tuberculosis succeeds most effectively in its deadly 

 ravages. 



EFFICACY OF TUBERCULIN TEST IN ERADICATING HUMAN TUBERCULOSIS 

 FROM BOVINE SOURCES. 



A number of authorities consulted by the committee unite in the 

 opinion that the tuberculin test, if generally applied in a given juris- 

 diction, will completely eradicate the disease from bovine animals, and 

 will remove entirely the possibility of human infection with bovine 

 tubercle bacilli. Freeman is authority for the statement that a third 

 of the cases of human tuberculosis in persons under 15 years of age 

 would probably be eliminated. Winslow predicts that human 

 tuberculous infection from milk can be largely controlled by the 

 tuberculin test. Dr. Babb, dairy and milk inspector of Topeka, 

 Kans., expresses the belief that most human pulmonary tuberculosis 

 is gained from the use of milk from tuberculous cows, and that the 

 transmission of the disease from this source would be very greatly 

 diminished by the enforcement of the tuberculin test in a rational, 

 systematic manner. 



Dr. Coit is convinced that the enforcement of the tuberculin test 

 will curtail human infection with bovine tubercle bacilli only to the 

 extent that tuberculosis is now disseminated by market milk. It will, 

 in his opinion, reduce by 25 per cent the number of cases of tubercu- 

 losis occurring in children. 



RECOMMENDATIONS BY DR. JOHN R. MOHLER. 



With a view to insuring against the prevalence of tuberculosis 

 through infection from bovine sources, the following recommenda- 

 tions are proposed by Dr. John R. Mohler, Chief of the Pathological 

 Division of the Bureau of Animal Industry, Department of Agricul- 

 ture, in a paper entitled "The Importance of a Wholesome Milk 

 Supply": 1 



1. That all cows on dairy farms producing milk for market purposes be 

 tagged, tattooed, or otherwise marked for identification. 



x The Dissemination of Diseases by Dairy Products and Methods for Prevention, Circu- 

 lar No. 153, Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, p. 37, issued 

 Apr. 28, 1910. These recommendations by Dr. Mohler were previously published in 

 almost identical phraseology in Bulletin No. 56, Hygienic Laboratory, Public Health and 

 Marine-Hospital Service, pp. 525, 526, issued in March, 1909. 



