IMPROVEMENT OF THE MILK SUPPLY 51 



the products of such dairies being subject to frequent 

 chemical and bacteriological examination. The cows, 

 barns, milk house, utensils and milkers must come up to 

 a very high standard of sanitation. The manner of hand- 

 ling the milk, its chemical composition and bacterial con- 

 tent are carefully prescribed. It is certified, by an author- 

 ized officer, to be absolutely pure and sanitary. 



Inspected milk is produced and handled under condi- 

 tions similar to those under which certified milk is pro- 

 duced and handled, but to not quite so high a degree of 

 perfection, and the product is not certified to by a milk 

 commission, or an authorized health officer. 



Pasteurized milk, though clean and fresh, is of less 

 known origin, and is subjected to heating to a temperature 

 of 150 F. for 20 minutes, or 160 F. for 10 minutes, and 

 immediately cooled to a temperature not exceeding 50 F. 



Modified milk is sanitary milk, the composition of 

 which is modified to conform with the food requirements 

 of persons unable to use milk in its natural state. Such 

 modification should be done under supervision of, or by 

 prescription of, a physician or milk expert. 



Results of the Improvement of Milk Supply. The 

 chief purpose of our present-day extensive milk inspection 

 and the establishment of various grades of milk is to supply 

 a sanitary cheap food and to save lives. The success 

 of such inspections must then be measured by their effi- 

 ciency in accomplishing these ends. 



The milk-inspection service has lessened the danger of 

 severe epidemics of contagious diseases due to milk in- 

 fection. The most important and extensive service ex- 

 pected of milk inspection is to diminish the mortality 

 from diarrheal diseases of children under two years of 

 age. In Washington, D. C., the death rate from diarrhea 



