BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 3G9 



from the contaminated egg which at present can not be detected by 

 sight or smell. 



MILK HYGIENE. 



During the past year an experiment was conducted in conjunction 

 with the Pennsylvania State Live Stock Sanitary Board for the 

 purpose of making a study of biochemic reactions of milk as com- 

 pared with the bacterial count, and testing the practical application 

 of these reactions. The biochemic reactions which were compared 

 with the bacterial count were catalase, per cent of acid, reduction, 

 fermentation, and the alcohol test. 



It was found that the biochemic tests used were simple in their 

 technique, and that by their application many pathological condi- 

 tions could be detected which would materially aid in a clinical 

 examination of a dairy herd. Various pathological secretions from 

 the udder could often be detected, whereas a chemical and bacterio- 

 logical examination frequently gave negative results. The tests if 

 applied at the site of milk production would aid health officers in 

 controlling their local milk supply. 



At present an experiment is being conducted to compare the cat- 

 alase test of individual cows kept under various conditions and 

 receiving different kinds of feed. Most of the work done on catalase 

 up to the present time has been on mixed milk from a di^ased herd. 

 The obj.ect of this work is to learn whether the catalase test can be 

 applied to eliminate individually diseased cows from a herd. This 

 last experiment is still in progress. 



THE BIOCHEMIC DIVISION. 



The work of the Biochemic Division, of which Dr. M. Dorset is 

 chief, has consisted, as heretofore, of laboratory work incident to 

 the meat inspection, laboratory research work relating to meat prod- 

 ucts, investigations concerning hog cholera, the examination and 

 preparation of stock dips, and the preparation and distribution of 

 tuberculin and mallein. 



LABORATORY MEAT INSPECTION. 



The laboratory inspection of meat and meat food products sup- 

 plements the work of the veterinary inspectors and meat inspectors, 

 and its chief function is to prevent the adulteration and mislabel- 

 ing of products which bear the Federal inspection mark. Samples 

 of all products prepared under inspection are collected and sub- 

 mitted to the laboratories by employees especially designated for this 

 purpose. In addition, veterinary inspectors and meat inspectors, 

 when they have reason to susjiect adulteration of an article through 

 the surreptitious use of prohibited substances, are enabled to retain 

 the suspected product until a laboratory inspection has confirmed or 

 disproved their suspicions. 



During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1012, the laboratories ex- 

 amined a total of 2G.RS9 dilTerent samples. These samples were of 

 the most varied character, consisting of a wide variety of fats and 

 oils, of prepared meats, cereals, gelatins, coloring matters, salt, sugar, 

 saltpeter, spices, disinfectants, water, and rat and insect extermi- 



704S1°— AG8 1912 24 



