292 



PATHOGENIC BACTERIA IN MILK 



Number of cases amongst drinkers of 



suspected milk — almost wholly. 

 Percentage on total cases — practically 



ICO. 



Circumstances implicating the milk 

 supply. — This epidemic occurred in 

 the districts of St Giles, St Pancras, 

 Marylebone, etc. One of the milk- 

 men and 3 of his children had scarlet 

 fever, but apparently only simulta- 

 neously with the epidemic ; moreover, 

 some of the consumers who derived 

 their milk direct (rom. the farm suffered 

 from scarlet fever, thereby showing 

 that the milk was infected at the farm 

 and not in London. This view was 

 abundantly confirmed, for milk from 

 the farm was also sent direct to 

 Camberwell, where 39 cases of scarlet 

 fever followed. Hence the investiga- 

 tion was limited to the farm. The 

 sanitary conditions of farm and dairy 

 were satisfactory. But one cow re- 

 cently calved was looked upon by Mr 

 Power as the exciting cause. She was 

 out of health. Persons were affected 

 in various parts of London, and certain 

 families supplied with the milk en 

 route from London also contracted 

 scarlet fever. Of 6 families belonging 

 to railway servants purchasing some 

 two or three imperial gallons daily of 

 the milk on its reaching Charing Cross 

 Station, 13 members fell ill during the 

 same epidemic. 



Apparent exciting cause. — (?) Cow 

 disease. 



Reporter and reference. — W. H. 

 Power, F.R.S. Loc. Gov. Bd. Rep., 

 1882, p. 63. 



Oxford, 1882. 



Total number of cases 



30 



Circumstances implicating the milk 

 supply. — Nine houses were affected 

 containing 85 persons, 2 of whom con- 

 tracted diphtheria, 10 scarlet fever, and 

 18 sore throat. All the houses were 

 exclusively supplied from the same 



milk source except 3. The supply 

 came from 3 cows. In the house of 

 the man tending these cows there was 

 a case of diphtheria, and the child of 

 the cowman had scarlet fever. The 

 illness in the houses was connected 

 with the case of scarlet fever in the 

 cowman's cottage. 



Probable exciting cause. — Human 

 source. 



Reporter and reference. — Dr S. D. 

 Darbishire. St Barth. Hosp. Rep.., 

 vol. XX., pp. 93-100. 



Dundee, 1883 {Noimnber'). 



Total number of cases . . 17 



Deaths . . . ' . . 4 

 Number of cases amongst 



drinkers of suspected milk . 17 



Percentage on total cases . . 100 

 Number of families supplied by 



milkman 12 



Circumstances implicating the milk 

 supply. — The dairy formed part of a 

 dwelling-house, the means of ventila- 

 tion, cleansing, drainage, and water- 

 supply not being such as to ensure 

 protection of milk against contamina- 

 tion. The milk was stored in the 

 kitchen where a boy was lying ill of 

 scarlet fever, and the milk business 

 was carried on by the dairyman's wife 

 and servant after recent contact with 

 the patient. All the cases notified 

 occurred within 4 days in consumers of 

 the infected milk. 



Probable exciting cause. — Human 

 source. 



Reference. — Brit. Med. Jour., 1883, 

 vol. ii., p. 839. 



North Ijondon and Hendon, 1885 



(^November and December^. 



Circumstances implicating the milk 

 supply. — This outbreak affected St 

 Pancras, Hampstead, South Maryle- 

 bone and Hendon. After careful pre- 

 liminary inquiries, it was presumed 

 that the scarlatina occurring in these 



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