SOURCES OP INFECTION Itf THE STABLE. 73 



the farms. If the steaming is done by means of a number 

 of pipes according to the plan shown in the illustration, 

 the operation spoken of will not take long. 



As the patrons of a creamery take back their skimmed 

 milk immediately after the separation it is not usually 

 practical to steam the cans in the creamery. In that way 

 one of the most effective means of securing good milk is 

 not taken advantage of, however. To get his milk-cans 

 steamed every patron should bring some extra cans along, 

 and they may then in turn be left in the creamery to be 

 thoroughly cleaned and steamed. 



This does not imply, however, that the cans are not 

 also to be cleaned at the farm as well as the conditions 

 will permit. The Swedish writer K. F. Lundin gives in 

 his book, " The Main Conditions for Furnishing Good 

 Milk to the Creameries," a sad but true picture of how 

 bad matters generally stand in this respect. Although 

 intended for Swedish conditions, his description may 

 equally well be applied to our country. He says among 

 other things: 



" Almost daily the author while on duty has had occa- 

 sion to notice how milk-cans are left at railway depots, at 

 roadsides and crossroads, with closed covers, often in the 

 full heat of the sun the whole day until evening, although 

 the farms often do not lie more than a stone's throw from 

 the place, and the cans might easily be brought over and 

 cleaned. Such a practice cannot be called anything but 

 unpardonable carelessness and gross negligence. The re- 

 sults are soon felt. It is almost impossible, even by the 

 most careful cleaning, to remove the foul smell which 

 arises in the cans when thus kept covered in the heat of the 

 sun. The milk remaining in the can from the creamery 



