Streptococcic Mastitis. 



91 



milk. Out of 1840 microscopically examined samples 336, or 

 18. 26% showed the presence of such an infection. 



In 91 cases, or 4.945% the changes were not very pronounced; 

 later control however proved that milk from cows affected with 

 yellow garget had been mixed with these shipments. 



18 . 26 % + 4 . 945 % = 23 . 205 % , proved contaminated with 

 streptococcic pus out of 1840 milk samples. 



Miiller intended in his work to distinguish milk streptococci, 

 especially the streptococci of mastitis, from strains of streptococci 

 pathogenic to man. In confirmation of the work of Nieber, Fischer 

 and Berger, Miiller came 



to the conclusion that the Fi s- 19 - 



recognition of milk strep- 

 tococci pathogenic to man 

 is impossible. Although 

 milk streptococci as a 

 rule coagulate milk some- 

 what more quickly, there 

 are also strains which 

 coagulate milk somewhat 

 more slowly, and strains 

 which dissolve the blood 

 cells in Schottmiiller's 

 blood agar, and these in. 

 their agglutination value 

 stand very close to the 

 pathogenic streptococci 

 of man, that is, they ag- 

 glutinate even in dilu- 

 tions of the serum of 

 1:400800. At the same 

 time several of the abso- 

 lutely pathogenic strains 

 fail to give any agglu- 

 tination, and other ap- 

 parently saprophytic va- 

 rieties give a higher ag- 

 glutination value. Bau- 

 mann proved that there is no uniform agglutination value of the 

 individual kinds of streptococci, and that spontaneous agglutina- 

 tion frequently appears in tests of their cultures. 



Together with Horauf, the author found that mastitis strains 

 show similar characteristics on Schottmiiller's blood agar to the 

 less pathogenic strains of man, a fact which has recently been con- 

 firmed by Grminder. Lingelsheim makes the statement that strepto- 

 cocci producing toxins are always obtained from subacute and 

 chronic processes. 



Acid formation and milk coagulation are common to the entire 



SS& 



*<* 



Sediment of red milk. Many red blood corpuscles, 

 several polynuclear leucocytes and colostral cells. 

 Streptococcus brevis with capsules. 1 X 1000. 



