78 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [P. D. 4. 



more widespread than that the presence of excessive numbers of 

 bacteria was a pure index of dirt in milk. When we consider 

 the insignificant amount of dirt present even in the dirtiest 

 milk, we are forced to admit that the numbers of bacteria 

 which could by any stretch of the imagination be carried into 

 milk by such amounts of dirt could not raise the germ content 

 of milk by any significant amount. On the other hand, careful 

 studies of the routes by which bacteria actually enter milk have 

 made it plain that they ordinarily enter by way of the dairy 

 utensils, and bear no relation to what we ordinarily characterize 

 as dirt. 



If the bacterial content cannot be accepted as an index of 

 healthfulness or of cleanliness, it is fair to inquire why it has so 

 strong adherents, particularly in Massachusetts, where Boston 

 led off in the matter of bacterial standards for city milk. The 

 answer is that bacterial counts are a good index of the probable 

 keeping quality of milk, and the consuming public have always 

 ascribed especial importance to this quality. The American 

 public is not satisfied with anything short of a sweet milk. 



Selecting Standards of Quality. 



In presenting these matters I have sought to show that the 

 inspector in his attempts to determine the quality of the milk 

 has made use successively of a number of standards. Each of 

 these standards has measured some one of the essential quali- 

 ties which should characterize good milk. His desire for sim- 

 plicity of standards has led him to use them one at a time, or, 

 at best, in combination of two standards, such as chemical com- 

 position and germ content. The insufficiency of this method of 

 treatment is too evident to need discussion. If we are to ac- 

 curately inform the public regarding the goodness or badness of 

 milk we must frankly admit the complexity of our problem, 

 agree as to what are the essential elements of goodness in milk, 

 and then agree upon some applicable standards of these quali- 

 ties. 



If the preceding analysis of what has been striven for during 

 the past half century of milk inspection is correct, the essential 

 qualities of a good milk may be collected under four heads, — 

 food value, healthfulness, cleanliness and keeping quality. Any 



