224 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



vov\ except ioii.-illv ilipliflieiin juid antln-:ix. Cows suffering from in- 

 IxMciiIo.vis usii;i!!v <>i\'e oil coiisiderjilile nr.iiil>ers of the hilierde ba 

 <'illiis, even llinr.<T|i die disejise is localed in some other part of the 

 animal's ]uh\\ than tlie udder. 



The (•<»ntroversv whicli has continued for some years as to wliethor 

 tulterculosis of cows is iransiuissible to human beings remains un- 

 settled. In 11)01 Koch contended that bovine tuberculosis was not 

 transmissible to man. Since then there have been so many eases of 

 tuberculosis, es]>ecially in children, in which the bovine variety of the 

 tubercle bacillus was found, that it appears wise to regard the bovine 

 type of the disease as a distinct menace to man. Foot-and-mouth- 

 disease is transmissible to man through the milk. As we have not yet 

 discovered the causative agent of this disease, we cannot make any 

 definite statements c<mcerning its transmission to man. There is 

 a])undant circumstantial evidence in support of the opinion that 

 diphtheria may be disseminated through milk. Usually the milk is 

 found to have been contaminated by persons who suffer from a mild 

 form of this disease, or who are in intimate contact with cases. Klein, 

 of England, has long contended that cows may suffer from diphtheri- 

 tic infection with lesions on the udder. However, it has remained for 

 Dean and Todd to show definitely that this form of infection in cows 

 is possibble, and that those who consume the milk in an uncooked 

 state are liable to contract the disease. Anthrax is a highly infectious 

 disease and there is a possibility of its transmission to man through 

 the use of milk. There are no authentic cases of such transmission on 

 record, but every precaution should be taken to exclude the milk of 

 infected dairies. 



The bacteria derived from the fur of the cow or from a dirty udder 

 are principally those found in the excrement of the animal. These 

 bacteria cause decomposition and putrefaction of the milk, and, in 

 this way, render it unfit for consumption, or, at least, change its 

 character to such an extent as to make it dangerous to the consumer. 



The contamination of milk through bacteria derived from the fur of 

 the animal and from the udder could be obviated to a considerable 

 degree by careful attention to cleanliness of the cow. Currying and 

 brushing the cows serves to remove adherent filth and loose hair. The 

 cows should be cleaned some time before milking is begun in order to 

 allow the dust to settle. Washing the udder and flanks of the cow 

 previous to milking aids in reducing the number of bacteria that may 

 be dislodged and gain access to the milk. While in a moistened state 

 bacteria are not distributed very freely. It is only when the fur of 

 the animal is dry that the bacteria are easily dislodged. 



The stable is an important source of contamination of 

 the milk and is a factor which has by no means re- 

 ceived the attention which it merits. The type of barn 

 found on many farms does not make it possible to stable 

 cattle under the very best conditions. The amount of space al- 

 lotted to each animal is insuificient to provide the requisite amount of 

 ventilation- A human being requires about three thousand cubic feet 

 of fresh air per hour and, in order to supply this amount of fresh air 

 in dwellings, about one thousand cubic feet of space should be allotted 

 to each individual. The cow is a much larger animal and requires 

 proportionately larger quantities of fresh air. In the main it may 

 be stated that a cow requires at least a quantity of fresh air equal to 



