118 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF MILK HYGIENE 
bodies responsible for these positive reactions were 
present because the individuals from which the blood 
samples were obtained had actually passed through some 
form of disease due to the abortion bacillus or whether 
they were the results of a passive immunity due to the 
ingestion of milk containing the bacillus or its antibodies. 
But it has been demonstrated in a number of experiments 
that after the ingestion of an organism in large num- 
bers the specific antibodies may be present in the blood 
without the organism producing disease, and there is 
some reason to believe that antibodies contained in the 
milk may be absorbed by the blood from the intestinal 
canal of children (see page 48). However, there is 
no definite information that abortion bacilli in milk have 
any injurious effect upon the health of individuals in- 
gesting such milk. 
OTHER DISEASES 
Any disease of the dairy cow attended with a con- 
siderable disturbance of the general condition usually 
causes a decrease or a complete cessation of the milk 
secretion. Although the milk is generally of normal 
appearance when secretion continues in such cases, it 
frequently contains an increased amount of mineral salts, 
has a salty taste and coagulates prematurely. While it 
is not known that milk of this kind is harmful to man, 
the change in its composition is sufficient to justify its 
condemnation as a food. 
When suppurating wounds or ulcerative or phleg- 
monous inflammations are present in any part of the 
body, there is danger of the milk being infected with the 
pyogenic organisms. 
