Lessons from the California E.coli Illness
Sunday, December 24, 2006 at 03:37PM I read once again through the many comments concerning my posting about Lauren Herzog's illness ("E.coli and Raw Milk: A Family Web of Intrigue and Resentment"), and realized more than before just how informative they are.
I think what impresses me most is the realization of just how delicate our individual internal environments are in terms of bacterial/ph balance. Several commentators explained in very lucid terms the dangers associated with trying to rid our environments of potentially dangerous bacteria because of the risks of simultaneously destroying beneficial bacteria.
I also appreciate the willingness of readers to explore the possible deficiencies of Lauren's immune system. We as a culture seem reluctant to consider the destructiveness of the many highly processed foods that are the mainstay of our food system in terms of making people more vulnerable to disease. This particular circumstance, involving just a few individuals, lends credence to the problem.
A number of people raised the question of whether Lauren should have been served raw milk at all. I am inclined to agree that parents need to keep in mind the power of raw foods and the possibility that they can sicken a young child not used to them. It shouldn't be this way, and it seems like just another problem to worry about among the many we have to remember when we have children as guests. It seems clear that Chelsea Higholt didn't even consider the possibility of danger, since she was so used to serving raw milk in her family. I suppose one can also argue that this same logic could make one think twice about taking a child guest to pretty much any restaurant, since E.coli 0157:H7 is so pervasive.
To those who expressed appreciation to me for pursuing this matter, thank you. In this situation, I was torn between pursuing what seemed an important health matter and violating a family's personal privacy--all layered over the matter of whether I had somehow worsened the situation via my original reporting for BusinessWeek.com. I am gratified if I was able to add in small ways to our knowledge and understanding of a major and recurring health issue.
Reader Comments (3)
Traditional cultures have included fermented, pickled, and "live" foods as part of every day life. It gives us a good kick of helpful bacteria. I watch my dog eat deer and rabbit and other animal's (non carnivorous) poop and know she is helping her gut that needs a lot of active bacteria to break down the protein with a fairly short intestine. The raw milk yogurt that I give her isn't enough, although it certainly helps.
I can digest raw milk. I get sick with pastuerized milk. I'm without proof, but convinced that the raw milk has altered my gut and the helpful bacteria for the better. Raw milk is a great medium to grow bacteria - which is why people are so afraid. Raw milk is a great medium to grow bacteria- which is why we should be drinking lots of it! Here's to the friendly flora that lives and grows inside of us, and is critical to digestion, assimilation, and elimination -- and therefore our health!
I suspect we're going to see more attention paid to your view about "live" foods. On a personal level, I see real benefits as I consume raw milk and kefir more regularly, and many others do as well--it's one of the main reasons people are willing to sacrifice so much to gain access to raw milk.
There was just an article about raw milk on the Canadian Broadcasting site that begins to explore the problem our society has of trying to rid our environment of all bacteria, good and bad. Article is at
http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_strauss/20061214.html
Emphasis is on "begins," but it is progress when it comes from a major media source.
Thankyou for uncovering the important fact that Lauren H was a first-time consumer of the raw milk that may have exposed her to ecoli. I find it interesting and plausable that 2 other children drank the milk and were not affected. My 3 children drink raw milk, but I will only offer it to their young friends who are also raw milk consumers. I think it would be helpful to have a protocol for slowly introducting raw milk into children's diets, perhaps starting with cultured products such as yogurt and cheese. In the absence of such a protocol, we run the risk of occasional illnesses that not only hurt innocent children, but hurt the raw milk movement as well. This issue may become more prevalent as the movement grows.