1902-3.] Bacterial Contamination of Milk. 469 



from the houses of people in the suburbs of Boston, the average was 

 69,000 germs ; from fifty-seven samples from milkmen the average was 

 2,350,000, and from sixteen samples secured at groceries, the average 

 was 4,577,000 bacteria per c.c. 



In 1901, Park^^ reported on the milk supply of New York. He 

 found that during the coldest weather the average was about 250,000 

 bacteria per c.c, during cool weather about 2,000,000, and during hot 

 weather about 5,000,000. Regarding the harmfulness of these bacteria 

 the writer cites the universal clinical experience " that a great many 

 children in cities sicken on the milk supplied in summer, that those who 

 are put on milk that is sterile, or that contains few bacteria, as a rule, 

 mend rapidly, while those kept on the impure milk continue ill or die." 



Leighton^^ determined the number of bacteria in the milk supply of 

 seventeen dairies at Montclair, N.J., the investigation extending over a 

 period of three years. In dairies of the most approved type the average 

 number of bacteria per c.c. was below 15,000. Poorly equipped dairies, 

 in which the owners had endeavoured to do their utmost to produce a 

 pure product with the crude means at hand, gave an average of between 

 40,000 and 70,000 per c.c. ; and in those dairies in which neither good 

 equipment nor good intentions prevailed, the average number of bacteria 

 was over 180,000. 



McDonnelP'' sampled 352 lots from eleven American cities. The 

 worst samples were found in restaurants, and with small retail dealers. 

 Twenty-eight per cent, of all samples contained less than 100,000 

 bacteria per c.c, while 34 per cent, had less than 500,000 per c.c. 



Loveland and Watson^^ found in the supply of Middletown, Conn., 

 from 1 1,000 to 85,500,000 per c.c. ; and milk as delivered by milkmen to 

 their private customers in the city of Madison, Wis.,^^ ranged from 

 15,000 to 2,000,000 organisms per c.c, varying mainly with the seasons 

 of the year. 



The writer^' examined about twenty samples of Guelph market 

 milk, a few years ago, and found an average of 650,000 bacteria per c.c. 



Eckles^* has made a bacteriological study of the milk supply of a 

 creamery. He found from 1,000,000 to 5,000,000 organisms per c.c. in 

 winter, and in summer from 10,000,000 to 80,000,000 per c.c. 



During the summer of 1901,^^ whilst investigating an affection 

 known as bitter milk in a large cheese factory, the writer had the 

 opportunity of analysing the milk of ninety-six patrons who delivered 



