Prevention of Infection 119 



before milking. It is of course necessary, also, that 

 the hands and clothes of the milker should be as 

 carefully attended to in this respect as is the body of 

 the cow. The bacteria find in the excrements abun- 

 dant food for growth and development, and are al- 

 ways found in large numbers where such excrements 

 are allowed to collect ; and when dirt of this sort ac- 

 cumulates and becomes dried, the dust floating in the 

 air always carries with it large numbers of germs. 

 The germs are also found in large numbers accom- 

 panying the dust arising from hay and other dried 

 forage. This being the case, it is essential not only 

 that the stable should be kept scrupulously clean, 

 but that the air should be free from dust, partic- 

 ularly at times when milking is going on. Thor- 

 oughly sweeping and then sprinkling the stable 

 floors an hour or two before the milking will mate- 

 rially lessen the germ content of the milk. 



Next to the stable, the dairy utensils are an im- 

 portant source of infection with bacteria. They be- 

 come attached to the seams and corners of the ves- 

 sels, and are not dislodged even with the most careful 

 cleaning, and when the fresh, warm milk is drawn 

 into such vessels the germs immediately begin to grow 

 and develop. The most scrupulous care must, of 

 course, be taken in cleaning any vessels in which 

 milk is contained, but no vessel can be considered 

 safe so far as conveying germs is concerned unless 

 it has been exposed to the action of live steam for 

 at least three minutes, and then kept in a secure 

 place until needed for use. With these precautions 



