168 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



tests was applied to determine the kind of bacteria predominating; 

 the reductase test and the alcohol test were also applied, and in 

 some cases the refractive index was determined. The samples re- 

 ceived from the dairj'^men were accompanied by requests for certain 

 examinations, usually the determination of the fat per cent, and the 

 number of bacteria, while those received from veterinarians were 

 usually examined for pathological bacteria, or for the purpose of 

 detecting the cause of abnormal odors or tastes or too rapid curdling. 

 The samples sent in by milk dealers were usually forwarded for a 

 fat test and bacterial count. 



The towns in which samples were collected by state agents or by 

 local inspectors for the purpose of determining the character of 

 the milk supply and the number of samples received from each town 

 were as follows; 



Town. County. Number. 



Pennsburg, Montgomery, 6 



Radnor Township, . . Delaware, 186 



Ridley Park, Delaware, 58 



Doe Run, Chester, 18 



Leaman Place, Lancaster, 63 



West Chester, Chester, 6 



Phoenixville, Chester, 135 



Ronks Station, Lancaster, 41 



Zieglersville, Montgomery, 70 



Bristol, Bucks, ...'. 39 



Several of the above towns have milk inspectors who have co- 

 operated with the Board in a systematic field examination in con- 

 nection with the laboratory examination. These towns have made 

 great improvements in their milk supplies during the past year and 

 Boards of Health feel that this progress is due largely to the regu- 

 lar examination of their milk supply. 



The laboratory has noticed in the past year a general improve- 

 ment in the bacteriological counts of all samples examined. 



During the past year the sediment test has been applied by State 

 agents in a number of instances in connection with the laboratory 

 examinations. This is not a new test, but the inspectors have found 

 it to be of great benefit as it can be applied at the place of collection 

 and demonstrates to the producers unclean methods of production. 



Out of 892 samples examined, not one was found to contain pre- 

 servatives. This is regarded as a great improvement, as it Avas very 

 common a few years ago for unscrui)ulous persons to add such sub- 

 stances as formaldehyde, boric acid, salicylic acid, etc., to preserve 

 the milk. 



In regard to the conduct of the work at the laboratory for the 

 ensuing year, it is recommended that when samples of milk are col- 

 lected for laboratory examinations to determine the character of the 

 milk supply of a local community that inspections of the dairy 

 farms supplying the milk and of the dealers' premises be made by an 

 agent of the Board at the same time and immediately before and 

 after the collection of the samples, and further that when samples 

 of milk are examined which have been collected either by local in- 

 spectors or agents of the Board and any sample is found defective in 



