INFLUENCE OF DISEASE UPON MILK 115 



having entered the blood stream, may also be excreted 

 in the milk when hemorrhages have occurred in the udder 

 tissue. Two instances are reported in which milk from 

 cows affected with this disease has produced disease in 

 man. One individual was affected with diarrhoea, weak- 

 ness, and headache, while the other exhibited symptoms 

 resembling typhoid fever. Cows affected with a severe 

 or bloody diarrhoea or with a diarrhoea associated with 

 fever should be removed from the milk stable, since they 

 are likely to infect not only their own milk but also the 

 milk of other cows with pathogenic bacteria. The stable 

 should be cleaned and disinfected. 



SEPTIC METRITIS 



In acute septic metritis, the milk secretion usually 

 ceases with the sudden onset of the fever and the animal 

 generally dies in a few days, so that the question of using 

 the milk does not often have to be considered. In the 

 less acute cases, a large amount of chocolate-colored fluid, 

 which is frequently putrid, is excreted from the uterus 

 and soils the tail, inner surface of the thighs, and udder, 

 as well as the bedding, stall, and suroundings. This fluid 

 may contain staphylococci, streptococci, bacilli of the 

 colon and paratyphus groups, and putrefactive bacteria. 

 These organisms may enter the milk during milking. 

 The milk of such animals usually gives a positive reac- 

 tion to the alcohol test, indicating that some of the prod- 

 ucts of the disease are absorbed from the uterus and 

 eliminated through the udder. The foul odor of the 

 uterine discharges and the odor of antiseptics which may 

 be used in the treatment of such cows will be absorbed 

 by the milk. While no cases of disease in man from the 

 use of milk from cows affected with septic metritis have 



