92 MILK HYGIENE 



/. Lung plague. According to the few investigations 

 tliat have been made, milk undergoes a considerable 

 change during the course of this disease. The fat con- 

 tent is lessened and the albumin increases in quantity. 

 After standing, the milk is quickly separated into a 

 layer of cream and a lower serum-like layer. Haukold 

 affirms that the milk has a peculiar odor and taste, and 

 may cause vomiting in man. Wiedermann, Lecuyer 

 and Eandou have observed some cases where, according 

 to their opinion, lung plague has been carried to chil- 

 dren through the use of milk from infected cows. 

 Though at least one case, in respect to its pathological 

 anatomy, showed great similarity to the peculiar pneu- 

 monia that occurs in this disease of cattle, it should not 

 be regarded as established that man is susceptible to 

 this disease, and especially is transmission through milk 

 unlikely, because it is not possible to prove the presence 

 of the specific virus in the blood or in the milk by 

 inoculation. 



The changed condition of the milk is enough, how- 

 ever, to prohibit its use. But such an interdiction is 

 unnecessary in almost all civilized countries on account 

 of the regulations of the veterinary police regarding 

 this disease. 



g. Actinomycosis. Actinomycosis belongs to the 

 comparatively frequent diseases of the udder of the cow 

 where it apparently originates primarily. Sometimes 

 it appears as miliary actinomycosis with a number of 

 quite small lesions distributed throughout the gland af- 

 fected, and in this form it may resemble a fresh udder 

 tuberculosis. More often, actinomycosis appears as sin- 

 gle or multiple nodules from the size of a nut to that of 

 an egg — these are surrounded by newly formed connec- 

 tive tissue and may break through the skin of the udder. 



There are no recorded investigations concerning the 



