426 Novinan MacDonald : 



For the first six weeks the strippings of the two machine- 

 milked cows were added to the bulk before the sample for 

 examination was secured. Subsequently, however, this prac- 

 tice was discontinued, it being considered that such a method 

 was really not fair either to the hand or the machine, as of 

 course the strippings were removed by hand. 



That the removal of the strippings by hand and their sub- 

 sequent addition to the machine milk seemed to deteriorate the 

 latter from the standpoint of bacterial purity is indicated by 

 the following figures. During the period when this practice 

 was adopted the hand milk showed 50O0 bacteria per cubic cen- 

 timetre, and the machine milk showed 10,750 bacteria as 

 daily average, but during the following period when no strip- 

 pings were added to the machine-drawn milk the average figures 

 were 9500 for the hand, and but 3500 for the machine. 



It must not be understood, however, that any definite and 

 absolute conclusion can be drawn from these figures, for as a 

 matter of fact, it will be seen that during the first half of the 

 first period, the average tests were much more approximate than 

 during the second half. 



Bacteria Isolated. 



For the first few weeks the nature of the different bacteria 

 found present in the plates was carefully ascertained by sub- 

 cultures on different media. 



It was found that both the species and the relative number 

 of each species varied so greatly that any results of scientific 

 value could not be expected from pursuing this work further. 

 In regard thereto, it is sufficient to state that in addition to 

 the ordinary bacteria inducing lactic acid fermentation, cocci 

 (particularly staj^hylococci) and sarcinae were common, while 

 the streptococcus was conparatively rare. Various forms of 

 saccharomyces were frequently encountered. The colon bacillus 

 was not common, and the liquefying bacilli present were those 

 found commonly in water. 



A number of doubtful organisms were tested as to their 

 pathogenicity for laboratory animals, but in no instance were 

 the results fatal, and rarely was a passing inflammation pro- 

 duced. 



