Into the extensive controversy which raged round "the Hendon disease," as it was called, affecting the cows supplying the Marylebone milk, we cannot here enter. It will be sufficient to say that a long discussion took place as to whether or not this Hendon disease was or was not scarlet fever. The difficulty of course largely arose from the fact before mentioned that we do not at present know the specific micro-organism of scarlet fever. The Agricultural Department supported the view of Professor Crookshank that the cow disease at Hendon was _cow-pox_, and Professor Axe further pointed out that there was evidence of the Hendon milk having been contaminated with human scarlet fever. Whichever conclusion was adopted, all were agreed upon one point, viz., that the disease had been conveyed from Hendon to persons in Marylebone by means of the milk.
Mr. Ernest Hart in 1897 published a very large number of records of scarlatinal milk infection from all parts of the country, and though the cause of the disease is obscure, there is now no doubt that it may be and is conveyed by means of milk.
_Other Diseases Conveyed by Milk._ In addition to the above, there are other diseases spread by means of polluted milk. From time to time exceptional cases have occurred in which a disease like anthrax has been spread by this means. But it is not to such rare cases that we refer. There are two very common diseases in which milk has been proved to play a not inconsiderable part, viz., _thrush_ and _diarrhœa_.
The mould which gives rise to the curd-like patches in the throats of children, and which is known as _Oidium albicans_, frequently occurs in milk. Soft white specks are seen on the tongue and mucous membrane of the cheeks and lips, looking not unlike particles of milk curd. If a scraping be placed upon a glass slide with a drop of glycerine and examined by means of the microscope, the spores and mycelial threads of this mould will be seen. The spores are oval, and possess a definite capsule. The threads are branched and jointed at somewhat long intervals. Milk affords an excellent medium for the growth of this parasite. Thus undoubtedly we must hold milk partly responsible for spreading this complaint. _Penicillium_, _Aspergillus_, and _Mucor_ are also frequent moulds in milk.