Homeowner Forum / Rural Living / June 2008

My Mistake, Sorry!

"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable,
but more useful than a life spent doing nothing."
- George Bernard Shaw

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones to keep."
- Scott Adams (Dilbert)

When I make an error, I fess up, no matter how
uncomfortable that might be for me.

In June, I spoke before two vegetarian groups,
the first in Northern Connecticut and the second
in Rochester, New York. I told both audiences:

"Half the dairy herds in America are infected with
mycobacterium paratuberculosis which causes Johne's
Disease in cows and Irritable Bowel Syndrome,
Ulcerative Colitis, and Crohn's Disease in humans."

I regret the error, and in the name of accuracy,
now make this correction regarding my own prior
incorrect notion of the percentage of herds in America
affected with paratuberculosis.

The June, 2008 issue of Hoard's Dairyman (The
National Dairy Farm Magazine), sets the record
straight (as reported by Kenneth Olson, National
Johne's Education Coordinator, and Robert Whitlock,
Co-Chair National Johne's Working Group). In fact,
the expert's page 411 commentary reveals:

"Current estimates are that as many as 65 percent
of all dairy herds have the disease..."

Forgive me for having underestimated the problem
by inaccurately stating that only 50 percent of
America's dairy herds are infected with this
dangerous bacterium.

On February 25, 2006 (p. 127 Column by veterinarian,
Mark Hardesty), Hoard's Dairyman reported:

"Johne's is a disease that we, as an industry, are not
getting under control. It is caused by mycobacterium
paratuberculosis (MAP) which is a very tough but
slow-growing bacteria...MAP has been found in
pasteurized milk."

If you have irritable bowels or ulcerative colitis
or Crohn's Disease, blame it on your previous dairy
consumption. It is clear that the dairy industry had
known the risks long before you became infected.
Consider:

"Johne's disease and Crohn's disease are remarkably
similar in clinical signs and intestinal pathology."

Hoard's Dairyman, January 24, 1995

"Of 77 milk samples (taken from cows with Johne's disease),
11.6% were culture-positive (contained M. paratubercolosis)."

Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1992;30(1):166-171

"Mycobacterium paratuberculosis was isolated from tissue taken
from patients with Crohn's disease and is implicated in the
etiology of this disease."

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 1993, May 31(5)

"Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis crosses the species barrier
to infect and cause disease in humans."

British Medical Journal, Feb 1998.315

"Mycobacterium paratuberculosis is capable of surviving
commercial pasteurization..."

Applied and Environmental Microbiology: 64(3), Mar 1998.

"Mycobacterium paratuberculosis RNA was found in 100% of
Crohn's disease patients, compared with 0% of controls."

National Academy of Sciences USA :93: September, 1996

The dairy industry knows the truth. The public does not.
Perhaps you can help spread the word that crapshoots
do not do the body good. One glass of milk can mean
the difference between good health and a lifetime of
discomfort.

Robert Cohen
http://www.notmilk.com