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"Although there are some slight grounds for objection
"in the Act, generally, its adoption will be of considerable
"value in reducing infant mortality and the consequent wastage
"of infant life.
"On receipt of the notifications, visits will be made only
"to homes selected in the poorer districts.
"Town Hall, Catford,
"11 th November, 1907."
EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF THE ROYAL
COMMISSION ON TUBERCULOSIS.
The second interim report (Jan. 1907) of the Royal
Commission on Tuberculosis contains statements which have
an important bearing upon the subject of the conveyance of
Tuberculosis to infants by milk. The commission reported
thereon in the following terms :—
"There can be no doubt that in a certain number of
"cases the tuberculosis occurring in the human subject,
"especially in children, is the direct result of the introduction
"into the human body of the bacillus of bovine tuberculosis,
"and there can also be no doubt that in the majority, at least,
"of these cases the bacillus is introduced through cow's milk.
"Cow's milk containing bovine tubercle is clearly a cause of
"tuberculosis, and of fatal tuberculosis in man."
"A very considerable amount of disease and loss of life,
"especially among the young, must be attributed to the use of
"cow's milk containing tubercle bacilli. The presence of
"tubercle bacilli in cow's milk can be detected, though with
"some dimculty, if the proper means be adopted, and such
milk ought never to be used for food. There is far less
"difficulty in recognising clinically that a cow is distinctly
"suffering from tuberculosis, in which case she may be yielding
"tuberculous milk. The milk coming from such a cow ought
"not to form part of human food, and, indeed, ought not to be
"used as food at all.
"Our results clearly point to the necessity of measures
"more stringent than those at present enforced being taken to
"prevent the sale or the consumption of such milk."