THE MILK SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 189 



QUESTION 7. Is the harmfulness of a high bacterial count scientifically estab- 

 lished beyond question f 



ANSWERS. 



As a high bacterial count indicates insanitary conditions, such a count is 

 evidence that the milk is dangerous. Several authorities on feeding infants 

 assert that milk with a high bacterial content is injurious regardless of the 

 character of the bacteria. (Chief Bureau Animal Industry.) 



The undesirability of old milk or dirty milk is self-evident. It is also scien- 

 tifically established. (Surgeon General IT. S. Army.) 



No. (Surgeon General U. S. Navy.) 



Yes. (Surgeon General Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service.) 



For infants, beyond all reasonable doubt. For adults, not harmful as a 

 rule, e. g., buttermilk. (Dr. William H. Park, New York, N. Y.) 



It is. (Dr. Henry L. Coit, Newark, N. J.) 



I believe so. (Dr. R. G. Freeman, New York, N. Y.) 



Yes. (Dr. M. P. Ravenel, Madison, Wis.) 



High count is not necessarily harmful, but it indicates conditions which are 

 harmful. (Dr. C. E. A. Winslow, New York, N. Y.) 



Yes. (Health officer Ann Arbor, Mich.) 



We have no doubt of it. (Health officer Atlanta, Ga.) 



Depends upon the character of the bacteria. (Health officer Baltimore, Md.) 



The harmfulness of a high bacterial count in milk may not be scientifically 

 established ; at the same time the possibility of a sample of milk having a high 

 bacterial count, showing the presence of disease germs, would be greater than 

 in a sample having a very low bacterial count. (Health officer Birmingham, 

 Ala.) 



Yes. (Health officer Bismarck, N. Dak.) 



The presence of large number of practically -harmless types can do no good 

 and is responsible for many complaints among children and adults due to par- 

 ticular susceptibility. "Yes." (Health officer Burlington, Vt.) 



I would not attempt to say. (Health officer Cleveland, Ohio.) 



No; this depends, however, upon the kind of bacteria. (Health officer Colum- 

 bus, Ohio.) 



No. (Health officer Detroit, Mich.) 



Yes. (State board of health, Florida.) 



Yes. (Health officer Jacksonville, Fla.) 



Yes. (Health officer Kansas City, Mo.) 



I should say not. It is simply an indication of conditions, and is highly 

 useful from this standpoint (Health officer Lynchburg, Va.) 



When the count is in the millions its harmfulness is well established. With 

 certain types of bacteria the count may be much lower, and yet the milk will 

 be harmful. (Health officer Montclair, N. J.) 



I think so. (Health officer Portland, Oreg.) 



It is a greater fraud to sell milk which can not be used at all, due to de- 

 composition from excessive numbers of bacteria, than if adulterated with 

 water. (Health officer Providence, R. I.) 



Milk of very high bacterial content may be harmless, as buttermilk, for ex- 

 ample; but high counts in milk sold as sweet milk always show something 

 wrong and should be condemned. In few matters of public health do we con- 

 sider that any given conditions must alw r ays do harm, but we know (1) that 

 milk improperly produced and handled does produce disease, and (2) that high 

 bacterial content always shows that milk has in some way been improperly 

 produced or handled. (Health officer Richmond, Va.) 



Not a high count alone; but a high count is generally indicative of dirt and 

 lack of ice. (Health officer Rochester, N. Y.) 



Yes; at least so far as its use among babies is concerned. It is in my judg- 

 ment undoubtedly harmful when given to adults. (Health officer Seattle, 

 Wash.) 



No ; the bacteria may be nearly, if not quite, all beneficial organisms, though 

 producing souring of the milk. (Health officer Topeka, Kans.) 



No. (Sharon Dairy, District of Columbia.) 



The harmfulness of high bacterial count depends entirely upon the character 

 of bacteria. With ordinary lactic bacteria, milk takes on a high acidity, giving 



