112 THE MILK SITUATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 



bacteria per cubic centimeter between October 1 and April 30; also 

 that cream and ice cream shall not contain more than 200,000 bacteria 

 per cubic centimeter during the first-named period and not over 

 100.000 bacteria during the remainder of the year. 



Dr. Woodward believes that, in the present state of the production 

 and vending of milk, 500,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter repre- 

 sents a fair standard for good, raw milk. In the case of pasteurized 

 milk, the standard should, in his judgment, be fixed not in excess of 

 50,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter. He goes on to add that, if 

 bacteriological standards are to be fixed by law, it might be Avell to 

 provide generally that no milk should be sold having a higher bac- 

 terial content than that claimed for it by the vendor. 



Although a maximum bacterial count of 500,000 per cubic centi- 

 meter of raw milk is recommended by the committee as proper to be 

 established for the District of Columbia, an examination of the 

 limitations placed in other jurisdictions and of the opinions of 

 recognized authorities on the subject induces the committee to the 

 deduction that a specification of 100,000 bacteria per cubic centi- 

 meter would perhaps be better calculated to afford the desired 

 assurance against possible infection from contaminated milk; but 

 the committee defers in this regard to the judgment of the local 

 health officer, and of the members of the Washington milk conference, 

 who favored the fixing of 500,000 bacteria as the maximum allowable. 



It has been represented before the committee that a maximum 

 bacterial content should not be prescribed for the reason that it is 

 physically impossible for the producer or dealer to verify or dis- 

 prove the analyses depended upon for prosecution by officers of the 

 law. While it is the practice in taking samples of milk to leave 

 one portion with the dealer or storekeeper and retain the other for 

 official examination, it is obvious that the sample reserved by the 

 merchant might easily be so handled or contaminated that its bac- 

 terial content would differ from that shown by the analysis of the 

 officials representing the Government; but such comparative analysis 

 made at the instance of the dealer might in all probability be rea- 

 sonably expected to result unfavorably to his interests, since, owing 

 to the treatment accorded the milk, the sample reserved by the dealer 

 for examination would likely show a higher bacterial count than 

 that evidenced by the official analysis. The delay in obtaining the 

 result of such bacterial examinations, in addition to the necessities 

 of administration, affords an added reason why this consideration 

 should not be permitted to interfere with the promulgation of a 

 regulation or enactment of a law providing for a maximum content 

 of 500,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter. 



CONCLUSIVE HARMFULNESS OF HIGH BACTERIAL CONTENT. 



There has been some question as to whether the harmfulness of a 

 high bacterial content has been definitely established, but there can 

 be no successful contradiction, in the minds of the committee, that 

 such a showing unquestionably indicates insanitary conditions. 



The authorities consulted by the committee agree that, as set forth 

 by Dr. Levy, chief health officer of Richmond, Va., the bacterial 

 count, when applied under standard conditions, furnishes thoroughly 

 reliable comparative figures, affording positive indication that some- 



