328 MILK AND DISEASE 



organisms responsible for it takes place through con- 

 taminated water used at the farm or dairy. 



The bacilli, which very closely resemble Bact. colt, 

 are found in the blood and also in vast numbers in the 

 faeces and urine of typhoid patients. Even after 

 recovery in some cases virulent organisms continue to 

 be discharged in the excreta for months or years, and to 

 such apparently healthy typhoid carriers are attributed 

 the mysterious outbreaks and recurrences of the disease 

 which are recorded from time to time. 



At cottages, farms, and dairies wherever the sanitary 

 arrangements are unsatisfactory, and the thorough disin- 

 fection of excreta from typhoid patients is not carried 

 out, there is great danger of the wells or other sources 

 of the water supply becoming contaminated with living 

 typhoid germs. 



The use of such polluted water for the washing of churns, 

 milk-pails and other dairy utensils is the chief means 

 of introducing the bacilli into milk, and numbers of 

 outbreaks of the disease have been proved to originate 

 in this way. 



There is evidence also to show that flies after settling 

 upon faeces containing typhoid organisms often carry 

 upon their head, feet, and wings the germs of the 

 disease, and transfer them to milk and food to which 

 they have access. 



Dry infected excreta may blow about as dust and find 

 its way into milk. 



B. typhosus thrives and multiplies in milk for many 

 days, but its development is considerably checked by the 

 lactic organisms ; Bassenge states that an acidity of .4 

 or .5 per cent, destroys the bacillus in twenty-four 

 hours. 



