dear helen and all, i am proud to say that i am learning a thing or two while studying, and, actually, yes, breast ARE "plumbed" into each other (the lymphatic system). i would say that this is a good reason to view an abcess as something "caused" rather than random, or it would be bilateral. helen's suggestions about closely examining the feeding process and all the details she mentioned is a great idea for isolating the cause. and helen, you should not apologize for mentioning basic hygiene things like hand washing and fingernails, it is important to be reminded often. carol b.