No. 4.] MILK AM) CREAM. 355 



Ropy or stringy milk is also caused by bacteria, which 

 render the milk more viscous, or cause it to adhere to any- 

 thing that touches it, drawing out into threads of consider- 

 able length. 



Red m ilk is sometimes caused by the actual presence of 

 blood in the milk, due to a wound in the udder or to the 

 effects <»t' certain feeding stuffs. An excess of ensilage has 

 been claimed to produce a bleeding of the udder. Most fre- 

 quent ly red milk is due to the presence of bacteria {Bacillus 

 prodigiosus) . Its growth in the milk is accompanied by the 

 production of a coloring matter, especially near the upper 

 surface of the milk. 



Blue milk is the result of the production of a blue pigment 

 of /><i<-il/i/s cyanogenus. Blue patches arc sometimes noticed 

 on the surface, or the whole surface may become covered 

 with a blue coating. 



Soapy milk is occasionally observed, also occasioned by 

 specific bacteria. 



There are forms of bacteria which produce various gases in 

 milk, as well as alcohol and similar substances. Milk being 

 a favorable medium for the growth of all kinds of bacteria, 

 it occasionally happens that the bacteria producing typhoid 

 fever, diphtheria and similar contagious diseases gain access 

 to milk, and result in the milk becoming a transmitter of 

 these most serious diseases. 



The bad odors that arise in the stable, and not infrequently 

 in the dairy house, are caused by bacteria which are at work 

 decomposing various kinds of filth found there. 



The lactic acid producing bacteria are by far the most 

 numerous in milk, and hence the most ordinary change in 

 milk consists in the process of souring. Sometimes these 

 bacteria are overpowered by others, and result in the various 

 disagreeable conditions above referred to.* 



* Whenever the producer is troubled with bitter, colored or stringy milk, his first 

 effort should consist in a thorough cleaning of barn, cows, dairy house and dairy 

 utensils. The barn, cows and dairy house should be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and 

 dust, and then sprayed, the barn with water containing 5 pounds of carbolic acid for 

 100 pounds of water, and the dairy honse with 6 ounces of bleaching powder to a 

 gallon of water. Carbolic acid can be purchased of Eimer and Amend, '20."> Third 

 Avenue, New York, at about 7"> cents per gallon. When ordering, state that 100 

 per cent crude liquid is wanted. 



