SEPTIC SOKE THROAT 119 



In Anglesey, in 1897, 15 people who took milk of one 

 dair>', l:)ecame affected at about the same time with sore 

 throat. Several persons in the affected families who 

 consumed milk from the same source but in a boiled state 

 oscape<l the sore throat, the chief evidence of which was 

 ti>nsilitis. The bacteriological examination of the milk 

 revealed the j^resence of Streptococcus pyogenes and 

 Stapltijlococcus pjjogencs, but no Bacterium diphtheria;. 

 Bacteriological examination of the patients' throats 

 yielded precisely similar results. 



" In May, 1902, an outbreak occurred in Lincoln, 

 affecting a large number of persons. Dr. Brook had 

 seventy-five cases in his own practice. The chief symp- 

 toms were erythema of the face, and sore throat. In 

 many cases a drab colored fur covered the tonsils. A 

 roseolous, pai:)ular eruption, in some cases api)earing to 

 be urticarial, occurred in two-thirds of the cases. There 

 was no luaiked fever, except in cases having complica- 

 tions. The i)ulse rate was not increased, and no albu- 

 minuria occurred. The onset was sudden, and in no 

 ease out of the seventy-five investigated l)y Dr. Brook 

 was infection conmmnicated to others by contact. 

 Nearly all of the patients were adults, and well advanced 

 in years. The comi)lication most commonly met with 

 was swelling and tenderness of the cervical glands. 

 With one doubtful exception, all the patients had had 

 milk from the same dairy. Boiling the milk appeared to 

 jn-event jiersons from taking the complaint. The poison 

 seemed to be present particularly in the cream. The 

 differences between the disease and scarlet fever were 

 ver>- marked. 



" A sudden outbreak of a severe form of 'septic sore 

 throat ' occurred at Bedford at the end of June, 1902. 

 On 27th June, the first case occurred; on 29th June, 4 

 cases occurred; 30th June, 15 cases occurred; 1st 



