THE MILK SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 201 



Without a doubt a great factor. (Health officer Syracuse, N. Y.) 



Not much ; excepting occasionally in typhoid. Very great in case of tuber- 

 culosis. (Health officer Topeka, Kans.) 



It has been shown in many instances to have been the cause of epidemics of 

 above-mentioned diseases. (Straus Laboratory, Washington, D. C.) 



Not a scientist; but believe this cause of disease is overestimated. (John 

 Thomas, Ednor, Md., president Milk Producers' Association.) 



Very remote ; unless some one is filthy enough to put slops from a eick room 

 into milk bottles and refill them with milk without properly washing. (Sharon 

 Dairy, District of Columbia.) 



In the case of the better class of dealers in milk, and with the educational 

 work done on the part of these dealers to bring the producer up to the point of 

 recognizing what his duty is, and also impressing on him the necessity of the 

 exercise of the utmost care and cleanliness in caring for milk, it has almost 

 been eliminated entirely as a factor in infectious diseases, and where physicians 

 comply strictly with the rules of the board of health and report all suspicious 

 cases, it is absolutely eliminated, and larger dealers and all responsible dealers 

 do not furnish for consumption any milk which has been handled in any way 

 by any person having any disease which has been reported by the physician in 

 charge as being " suspicious." (Borden's Condensed Milk Co., New York, N. Y.) 



Any reply to these not based on statistics covering a long period would be of 

 little value. (Walker-Gordon Laboratory, Washington, D. C.) 



Can not say definitely. (Dr. V. C. Vaughan, Ann Arbor, Mich.) 



Variable ; the known facts, however, prove that it is a considerable factor, a 

 very important one. (Dr. S. C. Prescott, Boston, Mass.) 



Considerable extent. (Health officer Los Angeles, Cal.) 



I believe that milk is a decided factor in the diseases mentioned, especially 

 amongst children and grown people; also, in the case of typhoid fever; many 

 epidemics of typhoid and scarlet fever have been traced to the milk supply. 

 (J. M. Houston, White Cross Milk Co., Washington, D. C.) 



Have not as yet traced any infection to milk. (Health officer San Francisco, 

 Cal.) 



Where bottles are not properly sterilized, and where they are allowed to be 

 refilled on the wagons, milk becomes a very important factor in the spread of 

 disease, and raw milk from cows not tuberculin tested is undoubtedly dan- 

 gerous. (Health officer St. Joseph, Mo.) 



To a very considerable extent. Tuberculosis directly, the other diseases indi- 

 rectly. (Health officer Wheeling, W. Va.) 



Investigations in your own city offer the best evidence as to typhoid fever, 

 and Dr. Park's figures the best evidence as to tuberculous infection, and it is 

 well known that many epidemics of scarlet fever and diphtheria have been 

 traced to milk. (Dr. Samuel McC. Hamill, Philadelphia, Pa.) 



Slight extent, considering quarantine. (Health officer Scranton, Pa.) 



QUESTION 2. To what extent, in your judgment, will this infection be diminished 

 by the enforcement of the tuberculin testf 



ANSWERS. 



The tuberculin test, followed by the removal of the reacting ^ows, would elimi- 

 nate only the infection of tuberculosis, and would not prevent other kinds of 

 infection (Chief Bureau of Animal Industry.) 



It would greatly diminish the occurrence of tuberculosis of the bovine type in 

 children. (Surgeon General U. S. Army.) 



The test will diminish tuberculosis, but can have no influence whatever on 

 other diseases. (Surgeon General U. S. Navy.) 



The tuberculin test, if properly practiced, will practically eliminate the dan- 

 gers of milk-borne infection of tuberculosis. It will have no effect in diminish- 

 ing the danger of the other diseases mentioned. (Surgeon General Public 

 Health and Marine-Hospital Service.) 



Rigidly enforced for cows before entering herd, and twice a year In herd, 

 with removal of all reacting and partially reacting cows, it would eliminate or 

 almost eliminate with bovine bacilli, which causes 10 per cent of total tuber- 

 culosis in New York City infants. (Dr. William H. Park, New York, N. Y.) 



Only to the extent that tuberculosis is now disseminated by market milk; 

 about 25 per cent of tuberculosis occurring in children. (Dr. Henry L. Coit, 

 Newark, N. J.) 



