DAIRYING 7 



during milking may bring thousands of bacteria with it, and 

 each particle of dirt and dust may be swarming with germs 

 from the alimentary canal of the animals, while the strainer 

 cloth, if one is used, and the tinware of all kinds, if not thor- 

 oughly washed and scalded just before using them, will continu- 

 ally be adding their supply of bacteria to those already accumu- 

 lated in the milk. 



PROTECTION OF MILK FROM GERMS. 



676. Persons handling milk in any way may be divided into 

 two general classes ; first, those who understand the ways in 

 which milk may be contaminated by dirt and careless handling, 

 but who fail to do so well as they know how ; and second, those 

 who are ignorant of the best methods of handling milk in order 

 to protect it from contamination. 



Both classes of people should feel their responsibility to 

 humanity in handling such an easily contaminated food product 

 and they should never relinquish their efforts to keep the milk 

 absolutely free from dirt and dirty utensils while it is in their 

 possession or care. 



677. The protection of milk from dirt and disease germs is 

 an easy or a hard matter according to the conditions under 

 which it is produced. If cows are milked in a dark stable where 

 the floor is saturated with water, the walls spattered with 

 manure and the ceiling decorated with hay or straw, squeezing 

 through loose boards, these and other conditions that usually 

 accompany such a place make it nearly impossible to produce 

 milk fit for human consumption or for making good butter and 

 cheese. 



Expensive stables and high-priced cows are not, however, 

 necessary for producing clean milk; constant attention to simple 

 details will protect milk from contamination in a cheap barn 

 as well as in any other place. 



Some of the conveniences and necessary arrangements for 

 keeping milk clean are included in the following specifications: 



