CHAPTER VI 



DISEASES OF THE COW (EXCLUDING TUBERCULOSIS) AFFECTING 



THE MILK 



ALTERATIONS in the health of the cow exert a considerable 

 influence upon the quality of the milk yielded, and sometimes 

 impart to it definite harmful properties. The most important 

 disease of the cow affecting the milk is tuberculosis, and this 

 condition is considered separately and in detail in the next 

 chapter. Excluding this disease the present chapter is con- 

 cerned with the part which the cow itself plays as a source 

 of disease to man through the milk supply. 



The abnormal cow conditions may be divided into three 

 groups : 



I. General systemic disease of the cow without local lesions 

 of the milk organs. 



II. General systemic disease of the cow with local lesions 

 in or on the udder and teats. 



III. Local affections, with little or no general systemic 

 disturbance. 



GROUP I 



Excluding tuberculosis, the chief general diseases which 

 have to be considered are the following : 



Anthrax. Although this disease readily affects cows, it is 

 generally considered that the danger of anthrax being spread 

 by milk is a remote one. The affected animal usually dies 

 within a few hours of infection, and, during its short illness, the 

 milk secretion is either suppressed or, if present, is abnormal 

 in appearance and rapidly decomposes. This is fortunate, since 

 the anthrax bacillus has been recovered from the milk of 

 infected cows. That the danger from anthrax-infected milk 



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