DAIRY INSPECTION 127 



tamination can, with few exceptions, be discovered by a 

 careful inspection. A proper laboratory examination of 

 the milk in connection with the inspection will generally 

 detect those conditions which may escape discovery at 

 the inspection. The information obtained by inspection 

 will serve as a basis for judging the quality of milk which 

 may be produced, not only on the day of inspection but 

 also thereafter. Moreover, inspection brings a repre- 

 sentative of the health authorities into personal contact 

 with the dairyman, a condition which should make for a 

 better understanding and more sympathy on both sides. 

 It is sometimes asserted that the bacterial testing of 

 milk is more efficient in improving or controlling a milk 

 supply than dairy inspection. This statement, however, 

 will not bear critical examination. The ordinary bac- 

 terial test merely approximates the number of clumps of 

 bacteria present in a very small portion of milk. It does 

 not determine the number of bacteria present, the kind, 

 nor their source. It does not tell whether a high count 

 is due to conditions existing at the dairy farm, during 

 transportation, or at the distributing plant. It does not 

 discover the presence of pathogenic organisms, excepting, 

 perhaps, streptococci, and it does not indicate the source 

 of these latter organisms. On the other hand, inspection 

 of a dairy farm will disclose the physical condition of the 

 cows, the sanitary condition of the premises, the char- 

 acter of the equipment, the methods in use, and the physi- 

 cal condition and proficiency of the dairyman and his 

 employees. Dairy inspection alone will certainly furnish 

 more useful information for judging the hygienic prop- 

 erties of milk than bacterial testing alone. As an ad j unct 

 to dairy inspection, however, bacterial testing and other 

 laboratory methods of examining milk are of great ser- 



