324 



PATHOGENIC BACTERIA IN MILK 



Portsmouth (Cambridge Barracks), 

 1880 {September and October). 



Total number of cases . . 7 

 Number of cases amongst 



drinkers of suspected milk . 7 

 Percentage on total cases . .100 



Circumstances implicating the milk 

 supply. — A back kitchen used as a 

 dairy. Son of milkman had been 

 suffering from fever with typhoid 

 symptoms for several weeks, excreta, 

 etc., carried through back kitchen ; 

 attendant milked the cows. Infection 

 through milk-absorption in back 

 kitchen or by milker. Sanitary con- 

 ditions of barracks good. All the 

 members of the officer's family 

 attacked were in the habit of taking 

 a glass of milk before going to bed. 

 The officer and two children took milk 

 in tea very sparingly and escaped. 



Reporter and reference. — Surg.-Maj. 

 Jameson. Brit. Med. Jour.^ 1889, 

 vol. i., p. 61. 



Bridlington, 1880 {October). 



Total number of cases . . 48 



Deaths 8 



Number of cases amongst 



drinkers of suspected milk . 48 

 Percentage on total cases . .100 

 Number of families supplied by 



milkman ..... 83 



Number of such families invaded 45 



Percentage .... 54 



Number of polluted milk sources i 



Number of milkmen . . . i 



Circumstances implicating the milk 

 supply. — Defective well, insanitarily 

 placed; water on analysis "evidently 

 largely contaminated by sewage." 

 Dairyman's son's wife had typhoid in 

 August. Outbreak chiefly followed 

 milk walk of dairyman, and showed 

 particular incidence on milk drinkers. 



Probable exciting cause. — Human 

 source. 



Reporter and reference. — Dr J. 



Allison (Med. OfiF. of Health). BHt. 

 Med. four.., 1880, vol. ii., p. 786. 



"Worthing, 1880 {October and November). 



Total number of cases . . 44 



Deaths 8 



Number of cases amongst 



drinkers of suspected milk . 44 



Percentage on total cases . . 100 



Number of polluted milk sources i 



Number of milkmen . . . i 



Circumstances implicating the milk 

 supply. — Shallow well used for dairy 

 purposes, especially for washing out 

 milk-cans, near a defective drain. 

 Clear evidence of soakage from the 

 drain into well. Case of typhoid in 

 house to which drain belonged, excreta 

 of patient being thrown down drain. 



Evidence that milk became infective 

 after it was placed in cans of dairy- 

 man, as other persons and milk 

 sellers supplied from farm whence 

 supply was derived had no fever 

 amongst their customers. 



Those who habitually drank milk 

 suffered most. Two teetotallers drink- 

 ing half a pint night and morning were 

 both attacked. A boy at school ordered 

 to have a pint daily, attacked. The 

 poor who drank little or no milk 

 escaped. 



Probable exciting cause. — Human 

 source. 



Reporter and reference. — Dr C. 

 Kelly (Med. Offi of Health). Brit. 

 Med. Jour., 1880, vol. ii., p. 934. 



Mid-"Warwickshire, 1883. 



Total number of cases . . 12 



Deaths i 



Number of cases amongst 



drinkers of suspected milk . 12 



Percentage on total cases . . 100 



Number of polluted milk sources i 



Number of milkmen . . . i 



Circumstances implicating the milk 

 supply. — Well polluted by leaky cess- 

 pool. Dairyman and son contracted 



