194 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 187. 



Table XX points out that, when the slime is built up to the same amount 

 as the original milk from wliich it has been obtained by means of sterile 

 physiological salt solution, the number of organisms recovered when 

 agitated may be even more than in the original determination in the milk 

 before clarification. It further shows that agitation has a decided effect 

 in releasing the micro-organisms probably from both the slime and colonies, 

 but, on the other hand, it doubtless falls very much short in its purpose. 



Table XXI reveals the effect of repeated maceration and agitation upon 

 the releasing of micro-organisms from slime. 



Both tables seem to reveal the fact that estimates made from milk before 

 and after clarification have little value. 



To bring out the results obtained by other laboratories and by this 

 laboratory in efforts to count organisms in sHme, it is pertinent to insert 

 the following tables, but these should be interpreted in the light of the 

 preceding attempts to release the micro-organisms. No other conclusion 

 can be drawn from these figures than the most conspicuous failure to" 

 determine the number of micro-organisms in slime, and yet this is the 

 most reliable approach available at the present time. The values secured 

 by repeated macerations and suspensions are far in advance of any other 

 determinations of micro-organisms. 



Some of Hammer's findings are as follows: — 



