Fatal Staphylococcus Intoxication from Goat Milk

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Abstract
Data are presented to indicate that 3 patients developed food intoxication by drinking the milk of a goat suffering from an acute suppurative mastitis due to Staphylococcus aureus. Two of the patients (3 and 4 yrs. old) died within 24 hrs. after each drank 1/4 pint of the milk. Individuals consuming the cooked milk did not develop symptoms. The goat died within 24 hrs. after the milking related to the onset of symptoms. Material taken from the udder post-mortem reproduced the symptoms in kittens. It was possible to immunize the kittens against this material by repeated injns. of a filtrate from the homologous culture. The evidence indicates the pres-ence of a thermolabile enterotoxin in the milk and sug-gests the possibility that the lethal factor was responsible, at least in part, for the symptoms.