INFLUENCE OF DISEASE UPON MILK 125 
mastitis, but in other cases there seemed to be reason to 
suspect that the milk had been infected by persons af- 
fected with septic sore throat (see page 111). 
SCARLET FEVER 
Scarlet fever has been disseminated by milk more 
rarely than some of the other infectious diseases of man. 
The epidemics reported occurred principally in the 
United States and England. The infectious agent of 
this disease has not been discovered and it is not definitely 
known how it gains access to milk, but it is presumed 
that the milk is infected directly or indirectly by persons 
affected with the disease. The same action should be 
taken against a milk-borne epidemic of this disease as is 
indicated under typhoid fever. 
TUBERCULOSIS 
Tubercle bacilli of the human type have been demon- 
strated in milk (Hess, Rabinowitsch), and there would 
seem to be abundant opportunity for milk to be infected 
by a consumptive working in a dairy. Tuberculous 
individuals should therefore not be permitted to handle 
milk. 
