84 Agricultural Bacteriology. 



lations to which each farmer must conform who desires 

 to have his milk certified by the commission. The com- 

 mission employ experts to aid in seeing that the rules are 

 followed by the producers. A physician examines the 

 attendants on the farm as to presence of contagious dis- 

 eases and makes a general sanitary examination of the 

 premises; a veterinarian examines the cows as to their 

 health and applies the tuberculin test to the entire herd 

 at frequent intervals ; a bacteriologist examines the milk 

 for numbers of bacteria and a chemist determines the 

 amount of fat, milk solids, etc. These examinations act 

 as a most efficient check on the methods followed on the 

 farm since if any of the processes in the production and 

 handling of the milk are slighted, it is certain to show 

 in an increased number of bacteria. 



The rules of the commission are usually very strict, 

 giving in detail how the cows shall be cleaned and fed, 

 how the stable shall be kept, the feed that can be used, 

 the care and nature of the utensils, the handling of the 

 milk, the toilet, and dress of the milkers. The number of 

 bacteria allowed in certified milk is usually 10,000 per 

 cubic centimeter. It requires the greatest attention to 

 details of cleanliness to produce such milk. Certified 

 milk sells from fifteen to thirty cents a quart. It is thus 

 out of reach of the great mass of the people. 



General improvement of milk supplies. There is a 

 rapidly growing demand on the part of the general pub- 

 lic that improvement in the general milk supplies should 

 be made and the experience of practical dairymen has 

 shown that clean, wholesome milk can be produced at a 

 trifling additional expense, and that this clean milk, for 

 all practical purposes, is as good as the much more ex- 

 pensive certified product. The cows, the feed, the milk- 



