114 THE CREAMERY PATRON'S HANDBOOK. 



measures are necessary, as the specific disease organism is so well adapted 

 that it can usually grow with rapidity if it once establishes itself in the 

 animal body. Various disinfectants, such as freshly prepared milk of 

 lime, sulphur, formaldehyde, corrosive sublimate, etc., can be used where 

 complete disinfection is necessary. 



TREATMENT OF MILK TAINTED BY DIRECT ABSORPTION. 



In case the defective milk is caused by the direct absorption of some 

 pre-existing odor, the method of treatment as to cure or prevention should 

 be radically different from that employed when the difficulty is of biogenic 

 origin. These absorbed taints have their source either in the animal her- 

 self or are taken up by the milk subsequent to its withdrawal. 



As with abnormal fermentations produced by living organisms, it is 

 much easier to prevent than to overcome an imperfect condition in milk. 

 If the difficulty is due to absorption after milking, it can easily be pre- 

 vented by removing the milk from the odoriferous source. Milk houses 

 and every well regulated dairy should have a room or building set apart 

 specifically for the purpose of storing the milk should be entirely free 

 from any objectionable odor. The room should be thoroughly ventilated 

 so as to remove all dank odors that are apt to arise from places that are 

 subject to much moisture. 



If the defect is most pronounced at time of milking, undoubtedlv it 

 can be traced directly to the animal. It may be due either to the normal 

 odor, popularly called animal or cowy odor, that is usually present in milk 

 to a greater or less degree, or the difficulty may be caused by the animal 

 eating certain weeds or plants in her feed. 



The so-called animal odor is more or less constant in its appearance, 

 independent of the character of the feed, although it varies in intensity 

 in different animals. Just how this odor is produced is not thoroughly 

 known, but it is probably carried by the blood to the various tissues of 

 the body and absorbed from the circulation directly by the milk. Cab- 

 bages, turnips, rape and silage when fed to cows likewise produce a pecu- 

 liar flavor in the milk. These foods contain various volatile substances 

 that are absorbed from the alimentary canal by the blood and are subse- 

 quently eliminated through the various excretory channels (lungs, skin 

 and kidneys). If the milk is drawn a few hours after the animal has par- 

 taken of such foods the particular odor will often be quite marked. To 

 a considerable extent, the intensity of this odor can be diminished by regu- 

 lating the time of feeding. Where such crops are fed they should be given 

 the animal immediately after milking so as to give the longest possible 

 time for their elimination before the succeeding milking. The amount 

 fed also has a considerable effect on the intensity of the odor. The animal 

 herself, likewise exerts an individual peculiarity, the taint being more 

 pronounced under similar conditions with some cows than with others. 

 Where such feeds are given to cows it is important that no more should 



