196 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



there must be many bacteria in the air which eventually fall into the 

 milk. 



Exposure to the Filth from the Cow. — There is nothing more filthy than 

 the filth from the cow. There is nothing that is so effectual in rendering 

 milk unwholesome. There is no part of the handling of milk that 

 needs revolutionizing and renovating more than the process of milking. 

 After studying this feature for an extended time the student loses his 

 hunger for milk. We accept the conditions as they are simply because 

 we are accustomed to them and they have come to us as an inheritance. 



The American method of milking is simple. The milker sits down 

 to the cow, with the milk pail on his knee exposed to much of the filth he 

 brushes from the udder, teats and lower portion of the cow with one 

 sweeping motion over the entire region. Upon these parts of the cow 

 will be found lumps of dung, pieces of straw, loose hairs, epidermis 

 scales and dirt from various sources. If a clean glass plate is exposed 

 underneath the cow, the amount of filth that will collect is surprising. 

 In this filth can be discerned particles of straw, dung, dirt, loose hair 

 and epidermis scales. The bacteriologist is unable to make a correct 

 estimation of the number of bacteria contained, although numerous esti- 

 mations have been made. Conditions vary and it is impossible to bring 

 every bacterium in contact with the food medium in which only a part 

 will grow. Again there may be no complete dissolution of the particles 

 loaded interiorly with bacteria, for milk drinkers very frequently meet 

 with undissolved particles of dirt at the bottom of their glasses. Millions 

 have been counted and probably many more millions fall into the milk 

 during the process of milking. 



Exposure to Particles of Dirt from the Milker. — A milker may add much 

 to milk contamination by means of dirty hands and clothes. Although 

 we cannot say that this source furnishes as much filth as the two pre- 

 ceding, yet there is a possibility of danger from this source which the 

 other two sources are not likely to possess. This danger is that which 

 arises from the contagion of contagious or infectious diseases. A milker 

 may carry upon his clothes the bacilli of diphtheria, of typhoid fever and 

 other obnoxious diseases. A tuberculous subject should never milk when 

 the milk is to be consumed by others. In some unseen way the baccilli of 

 tuberculosis find their way into the milk and thus menace the health 

 of those who drink the milk. It is thought that scarlet fever has been 

 communicated through milk probably by means of the milker. Some of 

 the most contagious diseases have failed of recognition because we have 

 not yet identified the micro-organisms concerned, and therefore are 

 unable to trace them definitely. 



Exposure to the Milking and Dairy Utensils. — This means of con- 

 tamination is under the absolute control of the dairymen, for it lies 

 within his power to rid his utensils of all bacteria. However, it is not 

 usually the case that the milk pail is bacteria free. How frequently it 

 happens that a dairy utensil after it has been cleaned according to the 

 common methods has a greasy film over its surface which may be easily 

 detected with the finger. The crevices are filled with dirt which may 

 be scraped off with the point of a pen knife. Upon studying the dirt 

 adherent to the milk pail, it has been discovered that it is almost a mass 

 of bacteria. This was found after the pails were treated with brush 

 and steam but not with sufficient care. A little brushing, a little hot 



