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the disease in those affected (many even escaping infection
altogether), and so mild, indeed, that probably, many
patients were not even notified officially, but were
treated simply as ordinary sore throats, of which
there had been many reported cases in the districts
affected with diphtheria as well as in other districts not
affected with diphtheria. ,In this connection, the exceedingly
low mortality (only one death amongst the 117
diphtheria patients notified) is noteworthy, as is also the
extreme mildness of the attacks in the majority of the
patients treated.
It may be added that, sanitarily, farm G was also
found, on inspection, to be unsatisfactory, the water
supply being also reported by the Analyst as unfit for
dairy purposes, being pond water containing a large
amount of organic matter.
The milk supply from farm G was stopped as soon
as the evidence of infection was satisfactorily proved—
the farmer's milk contract being suspended. In such a
case, naturally, strong evidence is required before
extreme official action is taken, such as the stoppage
of a milk supply from being brought into a particular
district, or districts.
2. The Dairy X and the Distributors of Millk.
The dairy X is a model dairy, both as to construction
and as to design and its sanitation and general management
are up-to-date. The buildings consist of the dairy
proper and shep with offices and residence attached,
whilst, at the rear, there are a large mixing room, a
butter store, a general washing shed, stables and cow
sheds, together wi'h a large paved yard (partly covered),
where the milk carts and "prams'" (or oerambulators) are
drawn up for the purpose of being loaded with milk
in churns, etc. In the mixing room, at the rear, there
is a model pasteurising plant.
The employees connected with the dairy at the time
of the outbreak consisted of 22 regular distributors,
3 "odd'" men helping the regular distributors, I station
man (carting the milk in churns from the station to the
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