Contamination of Milk. 37 



than is usually believed, for on too many farms the 

 cattle have access to places where they become soiled 

 with mud. The number of bacteria gaming entrance 

 to the milk in the summer may be as great as in winter. 

 The udder comes in contact with the ground when the 

 animal lies down in the pasture or in the yard. The 

 dust thus accumulated is not especially visible, but its 

 load of bacteria reaches the milk. 



The milk house. The room in which the milk is to 

 bo strained and cooled, preferably, should not be in the 

 barn, but at a short distance from it. It should be far 

 enough away so that the odors of the barnyard will not 

 be present. The room should be provided with a con- 

 crete floor, with abundant light and good ventilation. 

 The windows and doors should be well screened so that 

 flies may not have access to milk and the utensils. 

 As will be seen later flies are often carriers of disease- 

 producing bacteria. 



Clean milk. The demand for clean milk is increas- 

 ing rapidly. It is desired not only because it keeps 

 longer, tastes better, and finer butter and cheese can 

 be made from it, but also because dirty milk means sick- 

 ness and death to the children, not so much to the chil- 

 dren of the country, for these drink fresh milk only a 

 few hours old before the bacteria carried into the milk 

 in dust, mud and manure have had a chance to grow 

 and thus injure the milk. But the city child consumes 

 milk which is at least a day old and very often two or 

 three days old, in which the bacteria have developed 

 to an enormous extent. Clean milk is desired for 

 cleanliness sake. Every one wishes his food prepared 

 and handled in a clean manner. Manure in milk is no 

 more to be tolerated than it is in bread, and it is no more 



