430 Norman MacDonald : 



8. From April 9th to April 28th the cows were transposed as 

 to method of milking. 



On March 20th the excessive high count in both samples 

 compared with previous and subsequent counts suggested that 

 some unusual circumstances had been operating on the day in 

 question. This view was confirmed by the fact that Dr. Bull's 

 result from the same day's sample as sent to him from the 

 ordinary supply was also unusually high. Careful inquiry led 

 to the conclusion that on this particular day a certain batch 

 of bottles had been ineffectively sterilised. In these circum- 

 stances that day's results have not been included in working 

 out the average daily count of bacteria per c.c. 



Results of Investigation. 



The results of the above investigation have demonstrated the 

 following points : — 



1. That provided the apparatus of the milking machine is in- 



telligently handled, and that it is thoroughly attended 

 to as regards cleanliness and sterilisation, its use does 

 not interfere with the general health of the cow or of 

 the udder. 



2. That the milking machine so used does not lead to a 



greater bacterial contamination of the milk than does 



the process of hand-milking, even when conducted 



under the most approved conditions, but that on the 



contrary the average results show an improvement. 



In common with others, I have, however, noted in general 



practice that such pathological conditions as streptococcic mam.- 



mitis, a common contagious disease of dairy cows, is much more 



readily spread by the milking machine than by the hand. As such 



a catastrophe can be readily obviated by a routine examination 



of each cow's udder prior to milking, a practice generally adopted 



by progressive dairymen, its occurrence should not be attributed 



to the machine alone, but to the carelessness or ignorance of its 



owner. 



Given therefor© the adoption of such precautions as are well 

 within the compass of all dairymen, there appears to be no 



