DAIRYING DAIRY FARMING. 885 



washed with a dilute solution of corrosive sublimate, and the milk was 

 drawn directly into sterilized bottles. 



"In collecting the milk, from 5 to 10 cc. of the fore milk was taken in separate 

 bottles from each quarter of the udder and about 50 cc. near the close of tbe milking, 

 except in 5 cases. The milk was taken directly to the laboratory and agar plates 

 (iii a few instances gelatin plates also) were made with definite quantities i from 0.1 

 to 1 cc.) of the milk." 



The number of colonies found in each case are tabulated. This 

 shows that "in every case bacteria were found in the last milk taken 

 from one or more quarters of the udder." 



"These results, as well as those heretofore reported, show an almost constant 

 appearance of bacteria, often in small numbers to be sure, in the milk taken during 

 the last part of the milking. . . . 



"The properties of the bacteria found in the fore milk are of more importance 

 than their numbers. . . . A thorough differential study of the bacteria which I have 

 found in freshly drawn milk has not been completed. In all, 20 apparently different 

 species were isolated. Of these, 3 were streptococci, I bacilli, and 13 micrococci. 

 Among the bacilli Bacillus cloaca occurred in one specimen. It is possible, as it 

 occurred but once, that it was an accidental contamination from external sources. 

 This was the only gas producer in the entire series. Nine of the apparent species 

 were aerobic, indicating their presence near the end of the teat or milk duct, and 

 the others were facultative anaerobic, and could have come from much higher up in 

 the teat. 



"With one exception the organisms isolated fermented Lactose in both bouillon, to 

 which chemically pure lactose had been added, and in milk itself, giving a decidedly 

 acid reaction. . . . Six of the 20 species produced a firm coagulation of the milk 

 within 20 hours. The others precipitated or coagulated the casein in from 4 to 10 

 days. . . . 



"The pathogenesis of these organisms was tested by the subcutaneous inoculation 

 of 0.5 cc. of a fresh bouillon culture into guinea pigs, but invariably the animals 

 remained well. In fact, a perceptible local lesion was not produced in any case. . . . 



"[In view of the fact that the number of lactic acid bacteria in fresh milk 

 appeared to increase rapidly] it seems very important that milk should be pas- 

 teurized, if its normal composition is to be retained, as soon as possible after being 

 drawn. Milk that has stood under ordinary conditions for from 1 to 12 hours before 

 its bacterial liora is destroyed must necessarily have undergone more or less dele- 

 terious changes, the extent of these alterations depending upon the temperature at 

 which it is kept and the number and nature of the bacteria in the fore milk. It is 

 well known that all milk pasteurized after it is delivered by the milk vender does 

 not agree with all children."' 



The double-necked Eabcock bottle for testing skim milk and 

 buttermilk, M. E. McDonnell [Pennsylvania Sta. Ept. 1896, jpp. 221- 

 224). — A series of 1<> tests was made on 12 samples of skim milk of 

 different fat content, using the double-necked test bottle described by 

 Farrington. 1 The method was found satisfactorily uniform for the 

 same sample. All the results were believed to be slightly low on 

 account of a small quantity of the fat remaining in suspension and a 

 minute quantity probably being dissolved by the acid. Skim milk 



'Wisconsin Sta. Bui. 52 (E. S. K., 8, p. 932). 



