Household Bacteriology 1387 



bacteria that it may contain. Sterilizing milk means boiling it for a 

 certain length of time, or heating it nearly to the boiling point, allowing it 

 to stand for some hours and agair heating, repeating the operation several 

 times. Boiled milk is very difficult for children to digest. Pasteurization 

 is accomplished by bringing milk to a temperature of 6o° to 65 C. (140 

 to i49°F.) and holding it there for twenty minutes, after which it is cooled 

 quickly. This process does not affect the taste of the milk, and such milk 

 is more readily digested than is boiled milk. We should not need to 

 depend on sterilizing or pasteurizing as a means for providing germ-free 

 milk. The milk should be produced in a clean manner, for clean raw milk 

 is more wholesome for children than cooked milk, no matter what the 

 method of cooking may be. Hot air and steam are valued germicidal 

 agents; hence their wise use in the dairy. 



The cow not only needs wholesome food, but also needs to be kept clean. 

 From the time the milk leaves the udder there is danger of its contamina- 

 tion. 



Look first on this picture : A milkman dressed in clothes brushed clean, 

 his hands washed in soap and water, not simply rinsed at the trough, 

 his finger nails short and clean; the cow curried, her udder washed; the 

 pail to be used covered until needed for the milk; the stable clear of dirt. 

 Look next on this picture: The cow lying in her own dirt overnight, her 

 udder soiled; the milkman dressed as he has been while doing all sorts of 

 work; the cow's tail switching and dirt flying; flies bothering the cow 

 until she kicks — if not into the pail it is only careful management that 

 has prevented such an occurrence. Milk produced in the latter way is 

 hardly worth buying; while for that bought from the former milkman we 

 can afford to pay a good price — enough to encourage a man to keep 

 clean and to have clean stables and cows. Pay enough to allow the 

 farmer to have cement floors, tight ceilings, good ventilating devices, 

 and general cleanliness. Then he will scrub his floors and will hang up 

 his milking suit, to be used only while milking. 



" We always strain our milk, and dirt and hairs are removed from it," 

 say some. Yes, but we do not like to eat bread that the mouse ran over, 

 even if the mouse has gone. A good part of the dirt that may get into 

 milk is soluble and cannot be strained out. A diseased cow! We 

 think it not profitable to throw away milk, but consider the danger to 

 human beings of infection from the use of impure milk! It is safe to 

 watch the cow, so as not to use the milk from a ccw that is diseased. 



The milk that a certain housekeeper was buying appeared at one time 

 to be not quite right, and she interviewed her milkman. " Many hairs 

 and much dirt in the milk," was her complaint. " Oh well," he said, 

 " I have to hire my milking done and you know how it is, they won't 



