OF THE 



Contamination of Milk. 43 



the poorer people who are either unable to keep their 

 milk supply in good condition on account of the lack of 

 ice, or who do not appreciate the proper handling of 

 this food product. 



These troubles are not caused by any specific kinds 

 of bacteria but by many kinds that get into the milk 

 with the dirt and manure. As was previously pointed 

 out, the country child drinks fresh milk, the child of the 

 tenement-house district, old milk. Not the filth, but 

 the bacteria associated with it, are the cause of the 

 trouble. The remedy is clean milk and as fresh as 

 possible to the consumer's door. 



Poisoned milk. Occasionally milk is the cause of 

 trouble due to the fact that it contains poisonous com- 

 pounds formed by bacteria in their development. Nor- 

 mally the acid-forming bacteria prevent the growth of 

 the harmful kinds. In ice cream, poisonous products 

 are more often found than in milk, due to the practice 

 of storing cream during the cooler times of the sum- 

 mer in order to have a supply for the warmer periods. 

 Some forms of bacteria can grow in the milk and cream 

 at the storage temperatures and produce poisonous 

 products. 



