92 THE MILK QUESTION 



children are the ones more likely to suffer. One of the 

 greatest tragedies for the sanitarian is to see disease and 

 death follow the trail of infected milk in households that 

 are otherwise in prime sanitary condition. Very often the 

 women and children suffer most in milk-borne outbreaks 

 because they appear to be more fond of milk than men. 



In reporting milk epidemics, Trask gives some of the 

 points of special interest, as the following : 



1. The number of cases of the disease existing in the involved 

 territory during the time covered by the epidemic. 



2. The number of houses invaded by the disease. 



3. The number of invaded houses supplied in whole or in part, 

 directly or indirectly, by the suspected milk. 



4. The number of cases occurring in invaded houses so sup- 

 plied. 



5. The number of houses supplied with the suspected milk. 



6. The relative proportion of houses so supplied to those sup- 

 plied by other dairies. 



7. The time covered by the epidemic. 



8. The location of the case or cases from which the milk be- 

 came contaminated. 



9. The relation of the original case to the milk. 



10. The time relation of the original case to the epidemic. 



11. The special incidence of the disease among milk drinkers. 



12. The elimination of other common carriers of infection. 



13. The effect upon the epidemic of closing the dairy or taking 

 such measures as will eliminate possibility of milk contamination 

 from the suspected focus. 



14. The finding of the specific organism in the milk. 



^ Tuberculosis 



Of all the communicable diseases spread by milk tuber- 

 culosis takes the lead. At one time we were inclined to give 

 first place to typhoid fever, but judged by the frequency 

 with which tubercle bacilli occur in milk, this danger 

 easily takes first place. It is difficult to judge of the 

 comparative "importance" between diseases, but it is 



