The Farm Table. 649 



even if the mouse has gone. A good part of the dirt is sohible and can- 

 not be strained out. Throw away the first half pint of milk, or run 

 the risk of giving it to the cat. A diseased cow ! We think it not 

 profitable to throw away milk, but consider the danger of infection to 

 human beings ! It is safe to watch the cow in order not to use the milk 

 of one that is diseased. 



The water a cow drinks should be clean and pure. It should be free 

 from disease germs, for these may get on the utensils and into the milk. 

 We have only to think of the infants whose only food is milk, and of the 

 diseases which may come from bacteria in impure milk — cholera in- 

 fantum, typhoid, scarlet fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and countless 

 cases of indigestion. 



Care of utensils. 



The thorough washing of pans, kettles and cans, makes housework 

 and cooking far from easy. It is not so difficult to do the cooking when 

 someone else does the cleaning up. The fewer the creases in a cooking 

 utensil and the more they are scalded, the better. Sun and hot water 

 are most beneficent agencies for the safe care of these articles of kitchen 

 warfare. The housekeeper who cans fruit is extremely careful to sterilize 

 her cans in order that the fruit may keep. With something of the same 

 spirit she will keep her milk pails, cans and pans in like condition. 



The utensils introduced of late for the care of milk are most inter- 

 esting. This is especially true of milk pails. Instead of open pails, there 

 are pails with covers and small openings to receive the stream of milk. 

 Sterilized bottles, on account of being closed, are a very safe receptacle 

 for the milk intended for market. All of these precautions in regard to 

 milk are well worth while, for milk being drawn from an animal is very 

 easily subjected to dirt, and it is an excellent breeding ground for germs. 

 Neither do we boil the milk as we do most other foods. 



Who does not remember in the old fashioned regime of housekeep- 

 ing, the rows of pans nearly filled with milk, which were set on the 

 pantry shelves? In the light of our knowledge of dust and its dangers, 

 we are glad this has passed ; it has given place to smaller surfaces to 

 receive the dust, or no exposed surface at all. 



The refrigerator might be called upon to tell many tales of the life 

 history of germs, for its recesses hide a multitude of secrets. Slime left 

 where the ice was melted points to need of care. The spilling of food 

 on the shelves is another source of trouble. Ice should be well washed 

 before being placed in the refrigerator. All bits of food should be 

 removed from the shelves and crevices, the refrigerator often washed and 

 scalded, and some antiseptic, as washing soda, used. 



