Ill 



Conclusion. The main question, " Can boric acid get into 

 milk as the result of feeding cows on food containing boric 

 acid " is answered in the affirmative. However, the amount 

 of boric acid that can get into the milk from food is small 

 and could not possibly enable the milk to keep sweet for a 

 longer time. As milk needs J per cent, boric acid to produce 

 any useful preservative influence, there seems no difficulty in 

 distinguishing between milk preserved with boric acid and 

 milk contaminated by the use of foods containing boric acid. 

 If milk be found to contain more than O'l per cent, boric acid 

 the milk has probably been deliberately preserved with some 

 boric preservative, but if less than 0*01 per cent, boric acid 

 be found in the milk, the source of that small amount of boric 

 acid is to be looked for in the food of the cow; whilst if 

 between '1 per cent, and "01 per cent, boric acid be found 

 the origin of the boric acid is uncertain. With small amounts 

 of boric acid in the food about one sixtieth part of the total 

 amount of boric acid fed finds its way into the milk. 



ON THE DIFFICULTIES OF TAKING A SAMPLE 



OF MILK. 



BY S. H. COLLINS AND FRANK P. WALKER. 



Milk is so important a food, so much used for infants and 

 invalids, that no excuse can be made for those who deliber- 

 ately adulterate it. The proof that any particular quantity of 

 milk has been adulterated is, however, beset with difficulties. 

 One of these difficulties is that of obtaining a sample of milk 

 which really represents the milk as actually produced. 

 Vessels are made to deliver milk either by drawing from a tap 

 at the bottom or by dipping into them with a small can at the 

 top. The milk in the vessel is mixed either by hand-stirring 

 or by the shaking of the cart in which the milk is carried. 



