CHAPTER V. 

 RELATION OF DISEASE-BACTERIA TO MILK. 



PRACTICAL experience with epidemic disease has abun- 

 dantly demonstrated the fact that milk not infrequently 

 serves as a vehicle for the dissemination o** contagion. At- 

 tention has been prominently called to this relation by 

 Ernest Hart, 1 who in 1880 compiled statistical evidence 

 showing the numerous outbreaks of various contagious dis- 

 eases that had been associated with milk infection up to 

 that time. Since then, further compilations have been 

 made by Freeman, 9 and also by Busey and Kober, 3 who 

 have collected the data with reference to outbreaks from 

 1880 to 1899. 



These statistics indicate the relative importance of milk 

 as a factor in the dissemination of disease. 



The danger from this source is much intensified for the 

 reason that milk, generally speaking, is consumed in a raw 

 state; and also because a considerable number of disease- 

 producing bacteria are able, not merely to exist, but actu- 

 ally thrive and grow in milk, even though the normal 

 milk bacteria are also present. Moreover the recognition 

 of the presence of such pathogenic forms is complicated 

 by the fact that often they do not alter the appearance of 



' Hart, Trans. Int. Med. Cong., London, 1881, 4:491-544. 



Freeman, Med. Rec., March 28, 1896. 



* Busey and Kober, Kept. Health Off. of Dist. of CpL, Washington, D. C., 1895, 

 p. 299. These authors present in this report an elaborate article on morbific and 

 infectious milk, giving a very complete bibliography of 180 numbers. They ap- 

 pend to Hart's list (which is published in full) additional outbreaks which have 

 occurred since, together with full data as to extent of epidemic, circumstances 

 governing the outbreak, as well as name of original reporter and reference. 



