58 Dairy Bacteriology. 



no harm is likely to result, but when the dilution is not 

 great and the milk is used for young children it may 

 affect them through its content of the drug. The feed 

 may not only affect the quality of milk but its value as 

 food. One of the most prominent of American dairy- 

 men, who has for many years produced milk especially 

 for children 's use, has said that he could feed his cows 

 so as to make ill every child receiving the milk. 



Absorption of odors after milking. If milk is 

 brought in contact with, strong odors after being drawn 

 fr0m the animal, it will absorb them readily, as in the 

 barn, where frequently it is exposed to the odor of 

 manure and other fermenting organic matter. 



It has long been a popular belief that milk evolves 

 odors and cannot absorb them so long as it is warmer 

 than the surrounding air, but from experiments of one 

 of us (R), it has been definitely shown that the direct 

 absorption of odors takes place much more rapidly 

 when the milk is warm than when cold, although under 

 either condition, it absorbs volatile substances quite 

 rapidly. 



The custom of straining the milk in the barn has long 

 been deprecated as inconsistent with proper dairy prac- 

 tice, and in the light of the above experiments, an ad- 

 ditional reason is evident why this should not be done. 



Even after milk is thoroughly cooled, it may absorb 

 odors, as is noted where the same is stored in a refriger- 

 ator with certain fruits, meats, fish, etc. 



Distinguishing bacterial from other taints. In per- 

 fectly fresh milk it is relatively easy to distinguish be- 

 tween taints caused by the growth of bacteria and those 

 attributable to direct absorption. If the taint is evi- 



