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79
rain, which favoured the enormous growth of
microbes in the soil, where they lay undisturbed
by surface wet, rain, &c., and may have infected
the atmosphere under certain conditions. Further,
we have to deal with the question of infected
milk and butter; and, lastly, we must not
altogether ignore the possibility of aerial distribution.
In the case we are considering the only water,
as before said, is derived from the New River
Company, the chemical composition of which I
have invariably found, after twenty-six years'
experience, of good organic purity. I think,
therefore, we may exclude the supply as having
anything to do with recent outbreak; at the
same time we know the extreme rapidity with
which water acts as a carrier, should any pathogenic
germs escape into it.
Reverting to the milk, it appears that of the
71 persons who took their dinner and tea only
at Holborn, but did not sleep on the premises,
all escaped, although most of them contributed
to the consumption of milk The natural