484 Transactions of the Canadian Institute. [Vol. VII. 



1. When the rubber teat-cups are fastened on the cow, a small 

 portion of the hairy coat of the udder is included in the cup, and no 

 matter how clean the animal is, germs are sure to be present on this 

 coat in considerable numbers, depending upon the cleanness of the udder. 



When the suction of the machine is applied, the force exerted 

 naturally draws any loose or dry particles that may be on the teats and 

 that portion of the udder within the cups, down into the milk. In this 

 way, many germs on these particles gain access to the milk, and find in 

 it suitable conditions for their growth and multiplication. 



2. The teat-cups and connecting tubes to the milk pail are made of 

 rubber, and consequently cannot be scalded or steamed, as scalding 

 water or steam would crack and spoil the rubber ; hence it is impossible 

 to cleanse them thoroughly from germ life. They may look clean after 

 being rinsed in warm water and kept in cold water, but they are 

 certainly not bacteriologically clean, i.e., free from germs ; and in the 

 process of milking many of the germs on the inside of the rubber and in 

 the crevices of the tubing are washed into the milk. Conclusive 

 evidence on this is afforded by the fact that, time and again, germs that 

 v/ere constantly present in water in which the rubber tubing was kept 

 between milkings, were also found in the milk. 



3. In detaching the cups from one cow and putting them on an- 

 other, attendants sometimes let them fall upon the floor of the stable, 

 and in this way germ-loaded particles of dust and dirt get into the teat- 

 cups and find their way into the pail as soon as the milking of the next 

 cow begins. Of course, this may be put down to carelessness on the 

 part of the attendants ; but in our experience, no matter how careful the 

 transfer was made from one cow to another, instances of the cups falling 

 occurred from time to time, and each time undoubtedly made a large 

 addition to the germ content of the milk. 



In 1898, the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland^^ offered 

 a prize of ;^50 for the best milking machine. Only two makers entered 

 their machines for competition, viz., Mr. W. Murchland of Kilmarnock, 

 (the Murchland Milking Machine Company), {see Fig 8), and the Thistle 

 Mechanical Milking Machine Company. The judges, after an exhaustive 

 trial, awarded the prize to the Murchland Milking Machine, it having in 

 every respect most effectually filled the conditions which they originally 

 agreed should guide them in making their awards. In every instance 

 the samples of milk drawn by this machine were found to keep satis- 

 factory. After a lapse of forty-eight hours, they were found in no 



