316 DISTRIBUTION OF BACTERIA 



Pathogenic Bacteria which enter Milk after it is Drawn. 



Typhoid Fever. Frequent epidemics of typhoid fever have 

 been traced to milk supplies. From 1857-1899 a hundred 

 and ninety-five such epidemics have been recorded. The 

 germ gets into the milk in one of several ways. For instance, 

 the milker may be suffering from typhoid fever either in a mild 

 form, or he may be a " germ carrier." In either case he con- 

 taminates the milk directly. In the second place the contami- 

 nation may occur indirectly by the person milking or handling 

 the milk also acting as nurse, or the transmission may be more 

 indirect, as, for instance, by the use of polluted water in the 

 cleaning of milk vessels. As an example of the first method of 

 infection indicated above, the epidemic at Somerville, Mass., in 

 1892, may be cited. Thirty-five cases of typhoid fever occurred 

 in this place ; thirty of these upon investigation were found to 

 be the consumers of milk from a particular dairy. At this 

 dairy the son of the milkman handled and delivered milk 

 while suffering from an indisposition which was not diagnosed 

 as typhoid fever until after the investigation. 



At the University of Virginia in 1893 there occurred fourteen 

 cases of typhoid fever. All of the patients lived at a particular 

 hotel and used the same milk. Upon investigation it was 

 found that the milk came from a dairy situated on a creek. 

 This creek received sewage from the main university sewer. 

 It was also found that a negro having typhoid fever had thrown 

 the dejecta on the bank of the creek. The milkman used the 

 water of this creek to wash the udders of the cows during 



