CO-OPERATION 135 



in the matter than " equipment " (cleanness of stables, etc.), for 

 which only 100 are allotted. There are in addition 100 points 

 extra for " health " milk, to be offered for sale as " Grade A," or 

 " Grade A (certified)." The only two grades authorised up to the 

 passing of the new Act — both being regularly examined by the 

 bacteriologist — must score at least 250 points out of the 400 for 

 " method." But the regulations introduced do nothing to prevent 

 the sale of ungraded or " Grade C " milk, such as is in New York, 

 and also in Canada, kept absolutely off the market. That simply 

 acted as a help to dealers in " clean " milk, as stimulating recourse 

 to their shops. The new Act, which has come none too soon, is 

 purely an empowering Act, entrusting the application of the powers 

 conferred under it to local authorities. In the interest of the 

 country it may be hoped that those authorities will know how to 

 apply them, not only with strictness, but also intelligently, so as not 

 only to enforce the observance of precautions, but also to make sure 

 that the precautions adopted are the right ones. In our study of 

 the question we appear to be still a stage behind the Americans, 

 relying almost exclusively on the examinations of " surroundings " 

 and the " bacterial count." 



I trust that, in view of the great importance of the subject just 

 called attention to, my introduction of it at this place will not be 

 judged an improper digression. One object that I had at heart 

 in doing so was to express a hope that, in copying the example 

 of our transatlantic cousins, we shall in one respect do better 

 than they. They have confined their action mainly to towns, 

 leaving rural districts unconsidered. Obviously, especially in new 

 and only incompletely settled countries, action of the kind pre- 

 sents considerable difficulties in rural districts. However, although 

 strengthened in their general constitutions by climatic conditions 

 in the country, more particularly by the inhalation of " clean " air, 

 country folk are quite as much exposed to toxic dangers as urban. 

 Only part of them are producers of the milk which they consume. 

 Our long-settled country presents much fewer difficulties to pre- 

 ventive action than the Americas. Therefore, in proceeding with 

 " Rural " Reconstruction, in this matter, also, the rural population 

 ought to be considered. Towards such action co-operative dairies 

 appear to promise to provide a useful help, for it is in their depots 

 that the milk is gathered together before it goes out to consumers. 

 And bacteriological inspection, such as has worked admirably in 

 such large co-operative dairy establishments as those of Copenhagen 

 and Dresden, with the effect of producing guaranteeable " clean ' 



