296 MILK AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH CHAP. 



cleaning bottles. If not dated, the milk may not be fresh ; 

 even if dated, there is no guarantee that the date is correct. 



Bottles have usually been advocated on hygienic grounds 

 as preferable to cans for delivery of milk. While they are 

 undoubtedly better for special purposes, such as for milk 

 delivered from a milk depot or for certified milk, it is doubtful 

 whether there is any decided advantage derived from their use 

 for ordinary milk-delivery work. The increased expense is 

 very considerable, and under the conditions which are likely 

 to prevail the benefits are qualified by many drawbacks. 



The milk bottles in use are chiefly of two patterns, the 



FIG. 32. FIG. 33. 



Type of bottle Milk bottle for 



commonly used ordinary milk, 

 for sterilised milk. 



Fia. 34. Cap. 



one being used for "sterilised milk" (Fig. 32), the other for 

 milk bottled for delivery. The bottles for delivery have a wide 

 mouth and no projections (Fig. 33). 



One of the chief difficulties is to have a satisfactory stopper 

 or cap. The cap illustrated (Fig. 34), as used by Messrs. 

 Welford and Sons, is a very satisfactory cap. If, after bottling 

 under suitable conditions, the caps are put in at the depot, 

 and the man who delivers the milk has not access to them, it 

 is not possible for milk to be filled on the round into bottles 

 or to be tampered with. The cap must be destroyed to get at 

 the milk. 



Bottles of paper or other material, which will allow the 

 bottles to be thrown away after being once used, have been 

 suggested. Their use does not appear to have made any 



