2i8 PATHOGENIC BACTERIA IN MILK 



the layer of cream on the top of the milk ensuring something 

 approaching anaerobiosis." ^ 



The tubercle bacillus in milk.— Illustrations may be taken 

 from Manchester and Liverpool in respect to bacteriological ex- 

 amination especially as concerns tuberculosis.^ During 1901, 310 

 samples were taken at Manchester railway stations from the milk- 

 cans belonging to 272 farmers. Of these farmers 172 resided in 

 Cheshire, and 18 of them (10-46 per cent.) sent milk found to 

 contain the tubercle bacillus on bacteriological examination ; 65 

 lived in Derbyshire, and 6 of them (9-23 per cent.) sent tuber- 

 culous milk; 25 lived in Staffordshire, and 2 of them (8 per cent.) 

 sent tuberculous milk. It will thus be seen that of the milk sent 

 by rail to Manchester from 272 farms (the milk of which was 

 examined by Professor Del^pine), that from 26 of them (9-5 per 

 cent.) was tuberculous.^ Since inspection under the Manchester 

 milk clauses was instituted, the percentage of tuberculous samples 

 has fallen from 18-5 to 9-5 per cenf* 



The experience of the city of Liverpool in regard to tuber- 

 culous milk is also instructive.^ It appears that the daily consump- 

 tion of milk in this city amounts to about 26,000 gallons. One 

 half of this quantity comes from about 6000 cows kept within the 

 city, the other half being derived from cows kept in the country, 

 and sent in by rail. Within recent years, that part of the milk 

 supply derived from the town cows has become practically free 

 from tuberculosis. This result has been brought about by the 

 sanitation of tbe cowsheds, adequacy of air, light, and cleanli- 

 ness, systematic and frequent inspection of the cows by qualified 

 inspectors with veterinary assistance, and by frequent bacterio- 

 logical analyses of the milk (Hope). The country milk, on the 

 other hand, is more or less frequently tuberculous, which is a 

 serious reflection upon the sanitation of the cowsheds and the. 

 supervision and management of the cows. In a general way, itj 

 may be said of Liverpool that tubercle bacillus is found more than] 

 twice as often in samples of milk from the country than from thej 

 town. The returns, from 1896 to 1902 inclusive, to which refer- j 



^ Jour, of Hygiene^ i90i> vol. i,, pp. 78, 79. On pp. 392-451 of the present] 

 volume will be found a description of the species of bacteria, including those j 

 which are pathogenic, which have from time to time been isolated from milk. 



2 For latest returns, see Appendix R, p. 592. 



•■' Report on Health of City of Manchester., 190I) P- 238. 



^ Trans, of the Brit. Congress on Tuberculosis^ 1 901, vol. ii., p. 292. 



^ Reports on the Health of the City of Liverpool., 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901,! 

 1902, by E. W. Hope, M.D., D.Sc. 



