THE SANITARY FACTORS 95 



100,000 to 500,000 for market milk in general, but a 

 number have different requirements for raw and for 

 pasteurized milk and, where grading has been adopted, 

 for more than single grades of these. Some cities have 

 established separate standards for summer and winter, 

 on the principle that lower counts can be obtained in 

 the colder months. 



Marked improvements have been brought about 

 through bacterial standards even where rigid enforce- 

 ment has not been obtained. In the large cities the 

 number of bacteria in many supplies in the summer 

 months has been so great that their reduction to below 

 the standard was not to be accomplished at a stroke. 

 In the smaller places the low germ-content has been 

 more attainable. The town of Montclair, N. J., for 

 instance, which has for years followed the clean milk 

 ideal, has succeeded by vigorous measures in obtaining 

 milk supplies of which 85 per cent of the samples run 

 below 100,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter. 



For example of bacterial limits for different grades 

 of milk, see the classification of milk, Appendix B. 



It is worthy of note that the Commission on Milk 

 Standards appointed by the New York Milk Committee 

 gave special consideration to bacterial standards and, 

 with regard to its recommendations, reported: 



The Commission believes that the adoption and enforce- 

 ment of these bacterial standards will be more effective than 

 any other one thing in improving the sanitary character of 

 public milk supplies. The enforcement of these standards 

 can be carried out only by the regular and frequent labora- 

 tory examinations of milks for the numbers of bacteria they 

 may contain. 19 



