494 MICROBIOLOGY OF SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE 



Extraordinary precautions are therefore essential in the production and 

 care of milk to be used as food for children, particularly, during the 

 warmer season of the year. Severe poisoning of adults with milk, ice- 

 cream, or cheese, is relatively less frequent. Cases which have been 

 studied have been traced to the development of B. coli or B. paraty- 

 phosus in these foods. There is some evidence that other bacteria, 

 probably strict anaerobes, are also sometimes concerned. Strict 

 cleanliness, proper refrigeration, and pasteurization of milk of uncertain 

 character, may usually be relied upon to prevent milk poisoning. 

 Ice-cream should be made only from wholesome materials and- with 

 due regard to cleanliness in making it. The causes of serious cheese 

 poisoning are not definitely known, but such poisoning may be avoided, 

 to a large extent at least, by using only standard varieties of cheese of 

 the proper odor and flavor. 



Vegetable food poisoning, in an acute form, has followed the use 

 of sprouting and partly decomposed potatoes, and also various canned 

 vegetables, particularly those of high protein content, such as beans. 

 The large majority and possibly all of these cases are due to decomposi- 

 tion changes in the foods, B. botulinus and B. ptoteus appearing to be 

 the microbes most frequently concerned. 



There are also certain definite, more or less chronic diseases which 

 have been attributed to the use of certain grains as foods. Ergotism, 

 characterized by cachexia, gangrene, and convulsions, is caused by 

 eating the fungus, Claviceps purpurea, which grows as a parasite upon 

 rye. The grain of this parasite has a considerable commercial (medic- 

 inal) value suflScient to pay for its separation from rye where it occurs, 

 so there is little economic excuse for food poisoning from this cause. 



Beriberi or kakke is an acute or chronic nervous disorder which 

 has been observed especially in the Orient, Japan and the Philippine 

 Islands, although it has also been found in Brazil, in Labrador and 

 rather frequently among sailors after long sea voyages. At one time 

 the disease was ascribed to the use of fish as food, later to the use of 

 rice. Modern studies, especially those of Chamberlain, Vedder and 

 their associates in the Philippine Islands, have shown that beriberi 

 may be prevented by including beans, unpolished rice or rice huUs in 

 sufficient quantity in the diet and furthermore that those already 

 afflicted with the disease usually recover completely when given these 

 foods or when treated with an alcoholic extract of 'rice polishings. 



