MILK INSPECTION. 
687 
quires the virus directly from the cow while she is suffering 
from some specific disease which is transmissible to man, such 
as anthrax, foot-and-mouth disease, tuberculosis, etc. 
Secondary infection occurs when disease is imparted into milk 
which is otherwise healthy by outside causes, as, for instance, 
by washing milk utensils with disease-contaminated water or 
the absorption of the volatile virus of disease from which one of 
the employees may be suffering. To such causes may be traced 
many outbreaks of such diseases as scarlet fever, typhoid, diph¬ 
theria and even cholera. The report already quoted from gives 
a list of outbreaks of these and similar diseases in different parts 
of the world which were directly traceable to the dairies where 
employees or members of the dairyman’s family were affected 
by these diseases. 
As far as I am aware nothing has ever been done in this 
country to combat this peril to the community by specific in¬ 
spection. In Edinburgh, Scotland, however, this form of in¬ 
spection has been partially established. An outline of its 
methods may offer some valuable suggestions for us. In that 
city a special health officer has charge of the inspection. When¬ 
ever it shall be certified by this medical officer of health that 
an outbreak of infectious disease is, in his opinion, attributable 
to the milk supply, the dealers whose milk is suspected are 
ordered by the city authorities to render them a complete list of 
their customers with their addresses. 
The dealers in question are also obliged to give the names 
and addresses of all the farmers and dairymen from whom they 
buy their milk. By means of the list of the consumers the 
progress of the disease is noted as to location among these cus¬ 
tomers, and the offending dealer or dealers are thus traced out. 
By means of the list of dairymen supplying these dealers, the 
offending dairy is traced out. At such dairy it is usually found 
that some emplo5^ee or member of the dairyman’s family is suf¬ 
fering from the disease in question. The sale of milk pro¬ 
duced at this place is prohibited, and this prohibition is main¬ 
tained until the affected person is removed from the premises^ 
