INFLUENCE OF DISEASE UPON MILK 119 
EXCRETION OF MEDICINES THROUGH THE UDDER 
A number of medicines used in the treatment of dis- 
eased conditions in cattle are eliminated in part through 
the udder, namely: iodine, mercury, lead, copper, anti- 
mony, arsenic, salicylic acid, antipyrin, boric acid, aloes, 
rhubarb, senna, croton oil, euphorbium, morphine, strych- 
nine, atropine and veratrin. Although, under ordinary 
conditions, these substances are eliminated in the milk 
in small quantity, there is a possibility that milk from 
cows being treated with these drugs may be injurious to 
children and weak adults. When elimination through 
the normal channels is retarded by disease, they may be 
eliminated through the udder in larger quantity, and sub- 
stances which are not usually excreted through the udder 
may also pass out with the milk. For this reason milk 
should not be used for food from a cow which is being 
treated with medicines that are poisonous. Aloes, rhu- 
barb and senna affect the taste and color of milk. 
III. Distases or Man Transmissiste THroucH Mitx 
Milk may act as a carrier of the bacteria or virus of 
certain specific diseases of man. From time to time, 
epidemics in which the infectious agent has been dissemi- 
nated by milk have been reported, particularly outbreaks 
of typhoid fever, septic sore throat, diphtheria, and scarlet 
fever. These milk-borne epidemics have certain char- 
acteristics by which they may be recognized, viz: 1. The 
epidemic is explosive in character, a large number of cases 
occurring at about the same time, followed later by a 
rapid decrease in the number of new cases. 2. The dis- 
ease is limited to those families receiving their milk supply 
from a certain distributer; occurs in families using the 
greatest amount of milk and affects those individuals 
