'Clinical Evidences of the Value of Raw
Milk'
Pottenger's
experiments met the most rigorous scientific
standards. His outstanding credentials earned
him the support of prominent physicians. Alvin
Foord, M.D., Professor of Pathology at the
University of Southern California and pathologist
at the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena,
co-supervised with Pottenger all pathological
and chemical findings of the study. One particular
question that modern science has largely ignored
was addressed: What is the nutritive value
of heat-labile elements-nutrients destroyed
by heat and available only in raw foods?
I'll
quote some of Pottenger's work directly. First,
from his article 'Clinical Evidences of the
Value of Raw Milk:'
'Some of
the factors transmitted by milk are thermo-labile
(sensitive to heat). Though their destruction
may not produce death, their deficiency may
prevent proper development of the child. This
may show in the development of an inadequate
skeleton or a decrease in resistance….delay
in development of osseous centers is noted
more frequently in those children…receiving
heat treated milk. It is particularly absent
from the raw milk fed children….I am
basing this discussion on analysis of 150
children whose parents have consulted me because
of respiratory allergies….many other
workers…have also shown that treating
milk by heating interferes with its proper
assimilation and nutritional qualities….The
best milk from a nutritional standpoint is
raw milk….Heat-treating milk interferes
with calcium metabolism causing…delay
in bone age, and small bones….The interference
with calcium metabolism as shown in the bones
in only a physiological index of disturbed
metabolism throughout the body.'
Speaking
for myself—I personally have prescribed
raw milk from grass-fed animals to my patients
for nearly fifteen years. Time and again I
have seen allergies clear up and dramatically
improved health. Particularly in children,
middle ear infections usually disappear and
do not recur on raw milk. Both children and
adults unable to drink pasteurized milk without
problems have thrived on raw milk. In hundreds-perhaps
thousands- of my patients using raw milk,
not one has ever developed a Salmonella, Campylobacter,
or other raw milk related infection.
In
the letter cited above, the state epidemiologist
states that 'The processes of certification
and/or inspection do not guarantee that raw
milk will not be contaminated with pathogenic
organisms.' He also lists a host of microorganisms
that are alleged to be transmitted by raw
milk consumption, not mentioning that, as
the literature accompanying his letter makes
clear, the only organisms even potentially
associated with the consumption of certified
raw milk are Salmonella and Campylobacter.
And in one of the articles he cites, 'The
Hazard in Consuming Raw Milk' (in The Western
Journal of Medicine), the authors write that
'Salmonella and Campylobacter diseases in
humans are generally not serious. But in persons
with compromised health (particularly those
with malignant conditions and immunosuppressed
by disease or therapy), these infections may
be serious.'
So,
the gist of the state's argument against certified
raw milk is that it might possibly on isolated
occasions cause serious disease in some people
whose immune systems have been compromised
by the toxic effects of chemotherapy. And
those of us who might choose to drink certified
raw milk for the benefits I have catalogued
should be denied that right."
Fortunately,
the members of the Environmental Committee
saw through the shallowness of the state's
argument and voted in favor of raw milk.
