INFLUENCE OF DISEASE UPON MILK 119 



EXCEETION OF MEDICINES THROUGH THE UDDER 

 A number of medicines used in the treatment of dis- 

 eased conditions in cattle are eliminated in part through 

 the udder, namely: iodine, mercury, lead, copper, anti- 

 mony, arsenic, salicylic acid, antipyrin, boric acid, aloes, 

 rhubarb, senna, croton oil, euphorbium, morphine, strych- 

 nine, atropine and veratrin. Although, under ordinary 

 conditions, these substances are eliminated in the milk 

 in small quantity, there is a possibility that milk from 

 cows being treated with these drugs may be injurious to 

 children and weak adults. When elimination through 

 the normal channels is retarded by disease, they may be 

 eliminated through the udder in larger quantity, and sub- 

 stances which are not usually excreted through the udder 

 may also pass out with the milk. For this reason milk 

 should not be used for food from a cow which is being 

 treated with medicines that are poisonous. Aloes, rhu- 

 barb and senna affect the taste and color of milk. 



III. DISEASES OF MAN TRANSMISSIBLE THROUGH MILK 

 Milk may act as a carrier of the bacteria or virus of 

 certain specific diseases of man. From time to time, 

 epidemics in which the infectious agent has been dissemi- 

 nated by milk have been reported, particularly outbreaks 

 of typhoid fever, septic sore throat, diphtheria, and scarlet 

 fever. These milk-borne epidemics have certain char- 

 acteristics by which they may be recognized, viz : 1. The 

 epidemic is explosive in character, a large number of cases 

 occurring at about the same time, followed later by a 

 rapid decrease in the number of new cases. 2. The dis- 

 ease is limited to those families receiving their milk supply 

 from a certain distributer; occurs in families using the 

 greatest amount of milk and affects those individuals 



