June 10, 1887.J 



SCIENCE. 



55J 



cows are forced, by this method, to become 

 drunkards ; and their milk is, without any ex- 

 aggeration, positively poisonous to infants and 

 very young children. The systems of adults are 

 not so susceptible to the ill effects of such milk ; 

 but I am convinced that it is unwholesome, if not 

 immediately poisonous to the human family gen- 

 erally. 



Such milk, when given to young children, 

 far from furnishing nourishment, rapidly under- 

 mines the constitution, and opens wide the avenue 

 to every prevailing disease, though particularly 

 to diseases of the digestive organs, which often 

 terminate fatally. 



Some of the most obstinate forms of cholera- 

 infantum have been directly traced to the milk 

 of cows fed to a great extent on brewers' grains 

 and distillery slop, which latter is the most det- 

 rimental. 



Language too strong cannot, in my opinion, be 

 used in condemning distillery swill as food for 

 milch-cows, and the severest punishment that the 

 law allows is not adequate for the human brute 

 that would wantonly inflict such cruelty on dumb 

 animals as this method of feeding entails ; but 

 most important are the evils which milk from 

 such sources imposes upon human beings, when 

 sold to nourish children, thus polluting at its very 

 source the fountain of life. 



[George H. RohI;, M.D.. Baltimore, Md.] 



None recently. During my early life I had 

 moderately good opportunities, but never observed 

 any ill effects from feeding distillery swill. I 

 may note, however, that swill was not the only 

 food fed to the cows under my observation. They 

 were likewise well stabled, and kept otherwise in 

 fair sanitary condition. 



[William H. Breweb, professor of agriculture, Sheffield 

 scientific school of Yale college, New Haven, Conn.] 



By way of explanation, I may say, that, aside 

 from my profession, I have been a member of 

 our city board of health for about fifteen years, 

 and its president some years, so have given the 

 matter some thought ; although there is no dis- 

 tillery here, and, so far as I know, no distillery 

 milk sold in this city. 



I wish to add to the notes in this circular, that 

 I have a decided opinion that swill-milk is un- 

 wholesome ; but this opinion is founded on gen- 

 eral facts rather than on specific proof. 



The following are among the facts inducing 

 this belief : — 



1'^. That the health of cows affects the wbole- 

 someness of their milk is proven beyond any doubt ; 

 and the health of cows fed largely or wholly on 

 distillery swill is poor, as is abundantly shown by 



their general condition and by their high mor- 

 tality. 



2*^. It is well enough known that the food of 

 cows affects their milk, and that their chief food 

 largely determines its character. No one claims 

 that distillery swill is the normal food of cows, or 

 is wholesome food when fed in relatively large 

 quantities. Odors of food (as of onions, etc.) show 

 that some of the chemical compounds of the food 

 go into the milk unchanged ; and the same is 

 shown by abundant experiment on animals. The 

 experience with drugs (particularly the alkaloids, 

 as morphine) with women in lactation is in the 

 same direction, and is familiar to all medical 

 men. 



S'^*. When swill-mi'lk is undergoing spontaneous 

 decomposition, it behaves differently from normal 

 milk : it is usually acid when drawn, while nor- 

 mal milk is alkaline ; it behaves differently in the 

 processes for the manufacture of butter and 

 cheese (and therefore probably also under the di- 

 gestive processes), — so differently that creamer- 

 ies and cheese-factories refuse it. This is uni- 

 versal so far as I know any thing about them. 

 I have heard this matter discussed by butter and 

 cheese makers ; and, so far as the general facts 

 are concerned, I think there is no difference of 

 opinion, that, where distillery swill forms a large 

 or chief part of the food of the cows, milk is much 

 injured for butter and cheese ; the only difference 

 of opinion being as to whether or not some may 

 be used along with other food without injuring 

 the milk. 



4*='. We have abundant and sad proof that 

 milk readily absorbs infections, and numerous epi- 

 demics of disease have been traced to this source. 

 It also absorbs odors, and swill-milk stables are 

 proverbially foul and stinking : so this doubtless 

 adds to the possibilities of unwholesomeness. 



5". These, with other facts taken in their con- 

 nection, with the scattered and more or less vague 

 data as to sickness in specified cases following the 

 use of swill-milk, where this seems the factor most 

 open to suspicion, — all together make me be- 

 lieve, that, as compared with other milk, swill- 

 milk is unwholesome. 



6°. I have never found any facts pointing in 

 the opposite direction. Some are negative, others 

 point in this direction. I know of none that 

 point positively in the opposite. 



7°. The use of distillery waste for feeding cows 

 has been more carefully and scientifically investi- 

 gated in Germany (as I understand it), with the 

 conclusion that it may be used in limited quanti- 

 ties, along with other food which forms the 

 chief part of the ration, without injuring notably 

 the milk. As I understand it, I may compare it 



