338 MILK AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH cum.. 



Again, action along the lines of the Milk Clauses must 

 fail to effectively deal with the whole problem since they 

 attempt to treat a symptom — they do not treat the underlying 

 condition — bovine tuberculosis. Applied to special areas only, 

 as already stated, they exert a practically negligible influence 

 upon the manufacture of bovine tuberculosis (although they 

 may divert its products to unprotected places) but merely 

 deal with the small amount of it which comes under their 

 special cognizance. If the clauses were universally applied 

 they would, no doubt, be made much more effective; luit even 

 then the powers given are insuflicient. 



One of the greatest weaknesses of the clauses is the 

 absence of powers to deal with a cow with udder tuberculosis 

 when found. She is difficult to diagnose and a potent danger 

 to mankind, and yet when the elaborate business of Ijacterio- 

 logical examination and veterinary inspection renches its 

 fruition and a cow with a tuberculous udder is found, all the 

 law mildly enacts is — 



(1) The cow owner must not keep or permit such cow to 

 be kept in any field, shed, or other premises along with other 

 cows in milk ^ under a penalty. 



(2) The milk of such a cow shall not be mixed with 

 other food, and shall not be sold or used for human food, and 

 shall not be sold or used for food of swine, or other animal, 

 unless and until it has been boiled. 



In other words, the owner can banish the cow I'rom other 

 cows in milk and stop using her milk, and then he has 

 fulfilled the whole of the law. There is, apparently, nothing 

 to prevent him selling the cow with or without saying any- 

 thing about the udder condition. 



It is well known that the powers granted are less than 

 those originally asked for, and the slaughter of cows suffering 

 from udder tuberculosis was one of the clauses which Parlia- 

 ment failed to endorse. 



The clauses say nothing about disinfection of premises. 

 If a cow is found with udder tuberculosis, it is highly probable 

 that it is not the only case of open tulierculosis in the herd, 

 so that disinfection may seem scarcely worth while. As a 



' Tlie italics are the writer's. Ajiparently she may be kept with calves, or 

 cows now dry which will soon again be in milk. 



