HANDLING MILK. 15 



Boiling water must of necessity be used by the smaller pro- 

 ducers. If it is provided in sufficient amount and used with a 

 recognition of the fact that time of exposure, as well as temper- 

 ature, is a factor in killing bacteria, excellent results may be 

 obtained. A large caldron should be provided in which such 

 articles as strainers and coolers could be -immersed for several 

 minutes. Cans should be filled with boiling water and allowed 

 to stand for some minutes before being emptied. After scald- 

 ing and draining, utensils should be kept in a place protected 

 from contamination by dirt. 



The cooler permanently installed, and too large to place in a 

 sterilizer, is scalded properly with great difficulty. The use of 

 streaming steam, applied with a hose, is a tedious process, which 

 invites carelessness on the part of the man doing the work. 



Construction of utensils. Cracks or seams of utensils and 

 rust spots afford points for the lodgment of milk, which 'accu- 

 mulates in spite of washing, and contributes to contamination. 

 Seamless pails are preferable, but if joints are present they 

 should be flushed with solder. Metallic strainers are the worst 

 offenders in this respect. Valves are a necessary evil, as con- 

 stant vigilance is necessary to keep them clean. Pipe offers 

 exceptional difficulties in the way of cleaning and scalding, 

 while rubber hose is even worse. The use of wood anywhere 

 that milk will come in contact with it, is very undesirable, on 

 account of the impossibility of cleansing it properly. Wooden 

 plugs for milk cans are still used in New England in spite of 

 their unsanitary qualities. 



Handling 1 milk. Immediately after drawing, milk is strained 

 and passed over a piece of apparatus for the purpose of cooling 

 and aerating. Uncleanliness of the apparatus or its location 

 in dusty air, offer opportunities for contamination. Straining 

 through cotton cloth does not remove bacteria (12, 14); on 

 the contrary, it may add them if the apparatus is not sterile. 

 Absorbent cotton, between layers of cheesecloth, is the most 

 satisfactory medium for removing visible filth from milk. 

 Clean cheesecloth alone is preferable to the wire strainer in 

 its usual dirty condition. Milk coolers practically all work 

 on the principle of bringing milk in contact with surfaces 



