To sum up : It seems reasonably certain that pas-
teurization, sterilization, or any other process of heat-
ing milk to a temperature high enough to have a ger-
micidal effect impairs it to some extent. On the
other hand, there is abimdant evidence to show that
the gain is far greater than the loss. And it is a
most significant fact that among the radicals, the ad-
vocates of such methods of inspection as will insure
clean milk, there is universal agreement that, imtil
we can obtain milk of the desired standard of purity,
cleanliness, and freedom from disease germs, it is best
to pasteurize milk for infants.
(3) It is objected that to establish depots for the sale
of pasteurized milk would he a mistake for the following
reasons, among others: (a) It is an extension of paler-
nalism. The dty or state ought to leave that to the
mothers, taking care only to see that the supply is pure
and good, (b) Where there is so much doubt as to the
efficiency of the process, it should be optional with parents
whether they give their babies pasteurized milk or unr
pasteurized milk; (c) The effect of pasteurization would
he to make the mOk producers and milk dealers careless,



260 THE CX)MMON SENSE OF THE MILK QUESTION

causing them to rely too mvch upon jxisteurization, rather
than upon deanliness.
