Report on outbreak of enteric fever in West-end of Glasgow and Hillhead, with ; Memorandum on the milk supply of Glasgow in relation to the dissemination of infectious disease by milk / by James B. Russell, M.D., Medical Officer of Health, Glasgow.

Russell, James Burn, 1837-1904.

Date:: 1878

Credit: Report on outbreak of enteric fever in West-end of Glasgow and Hillhead, with ; Memorandum on the milk supply of Glasgow in relation to the dissemination of infectious disease by milk / by James B. Russell, M.D., Medical Officer of Health, Glasgow. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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$known to be present, and the phenomen:i were as described. In the facts detailed above we recognize the same phenomena in the distribution of the infecting elements of enteric fever. We have the milk charged with those elements at Stonehouse, and dis- tributed among tliose West-End families. We have what chemists call a blank experiment, i.e., one without the foreign ingredient, to show that the original substance is pure, made by the distribu- tion of nulk fi'oni other sources in the same streets, at the same time, to families in every way alike. In the former case a variable proportion of families is infected; in the latter not one is infected. The only difference between the experiment made in the labora- tory and that made in the West-End of Glasgow is that we have not actually seen contagious particle.; put into the milk. But there is an end to all progress in science, and to all belief in the con- sistency of nature's processes, if we cannot, from the recognition of phenomena, repeatedly observed to follow an experimental act, reason back to that act in circumstances where the phenomena first present themselves to our observation, and where in the nature of the case no exactly similar experiment can be made. It seems to me, however, that had there been any doubt as to the nature of the disease on that farm at Stonehouse, no more conclusive experi- ment could have been planned than that which has been unin- tentionally carried o\it among the inhabitants of Glasgow and Hillhead. At the date of the original report (14th January) no authentic information could be got as to the extent of the epidemic within the Burgh of Hillhead, although I suggested to the Commissioners, at my interview on 7th January, the importance of a house-to- house visitation to ascertain this. On the 22nd I wrote to the Provost of Hillhead referring to the statement regarding Glasgow, which had then been some time published, and pointing out how important it would be to have the great gap filled up by similar facts regarding that Burgh which otherwise will continue to be apparent in the history of the outbreak. He was good enough to call next day, and undertook to have a statement made up. On the 8th February this was received. Captain Anderson also$