28o PATHOGENIC BACTERIA IN MILK 



ever, been described as associated with the disease. Edington, 

 Frankel, Freudenberg, Klein, Kurth, Gordon, Baginsky, Class, and 

 others have described organisms which they believed to be etiologi- 

 cally related to the disease. At present, however, it can only be 

 said that although these bacteria have been found associated with 

 scarlet fever, they are not yet proved to be its cause.^ 



As regards dissemination it has long been known that scarlet 

 fever, like small-pox, is most commonly spread by direct infection 

 through the medium of infected clothing and other articles, or 

 materials handled by the patient. The means by which infection 

 has thus been carried are manifold, and need not claim our 

 attention here. As we have seen, in 1870 a wider field of con- 

 veyance of scarlet fever was revealed by the investigations of Dr 

 M. W. Taylor of Penrith. While studying an outbreak of scarlet 

 fever he observed that the main incidence of the disease fell upon 

 customers of a certain milk-shop where scarlet fever was existent. 

 Since that date abundant evidence has been forthcoming to show 

 that to the channels of infection previously recognised, that of 

 conveyance by milk must be added. 



In 1882, Mr W. H. Power, then a medical inspector under the 

 Local Government Board, investigated an extensive outbreak of 

 scarlet fever in certain districts of North London. The ordinary 

 human origins of the disease in milk-borne outbreaks appeared to 

 be absent. True, one of the milkmen and three of his children 

 contracted the disease, but only simultaneously with other persons 

 suffering during the epidemic. There was, further, a peculiar incid- 

 ence upon persons who derived their milk direct from the farm, 

 thereby showing that the milk obtained its infective property from 

 the farm and not in London. At the farm in Surrey the sanitary 

 conditions were satisfactory, but one of the cows which had 

 recently come into milk had been suffering from some ailment, 

 apparently from the time of her calving. The symptoms were loss 



^ We cannot here enter into a discussion as to the bacteriology of the various 

 infective diseases conveyed by milk. The matter can only be referred to in its 

 direct relation to the milk supply. For general information respecting the 

 bacteriology of scarlet fever, typhoid fever, diphtheria, etc., the ordinary text- 

 books should be consulted (Muir and Ritchie, Crookshank, Hewlett, Mace, 

 Lehmann and Neumann, etc.). We may, however, add a reference to the more 

 recent bacteriology of scarlet fever which will be found to be dealt with in the 

 Reports of the Medical Officer of the Local Government Board, 1886-87 (Klein) ; 

 1898-99, pp. 480-493; 1899-1900, pp. 385-457, and 1900-01, pp. 353-404 (Gordon); 

 Brit. Med. four., 1902, vol. ii., p. 445; Berl. Klin. Woch., 1900, Nos. 27 and 28 ; 

 Chicago Medical Recorder, 1889; Lancet, 1900, 29th September. 



