254, Elementary Principles of Agriculture 



in the following particulars: (1) The healthfulness 

 of the animals. (2) The healthfulness of the milker. 

 (3) The cleanliness of the stables. (4) The care in 

 milking. (5) The care in keeping the milk. Unless 

 all of these conditions are carefully observed, sanitary 

 milk-production is an impossibility. 



360. The Healthfulness of the Animals. Unless the 

 dairy cow is in a healthy condition, she should 

 not be expected to secrete a healthy milk. All of the 

 blood which goes to the manufacture of milk must pass 

 through the circulation, and if any diseases are present 

 the blood is apt to take up the germs producing them, 

 and in some cases these same germs have been found 

 in the milk. It will, therefore, be noted that the first 

 essential in the production of sanitary dairy products 

 is the presence of a healthy herd of cows. 



361. The Healthfulness of the Milker. On account 

 of the fact that milk is peculiarly adaptable to the 

 growth of germs, any one having a contagious or infec- 

 tious disease should not come in contact with it. Germs 

 are always present in such cases, as smallpox, typhoid 

 fever, diphtheria, etc., and are certain to find their way 

 into the product if the person afflicted is permitted 

 to come in contact with the milk or butter. 



362. Cleanliness of the Stable. At best, the stable 

 is difficult to free from bacteria. The great natural 

 enemies of bacteria are light and sunshine. The stable 

 should be kept clean, and there should always be pres- 

 ent an abundance of fresh air and sunshine. The dark 

 corners of the stable, filled with dust, are the houses 

 of millions of germs which finally find their way into 

 the milk and make it unfit for human food. 



363. Care in Milking. When milk first comes from 



