19O9 MILK COMMISSION. 119 



impels us to urge similar supervision for municipalities is human health; and we 

 do not think that the Legislature can afford to affirm that commerce is of more 

 importance than human life and health. 



Thus, in this recommendation we do not rely on theories or foreign precedents, 

 sound though they be; we seek merely to give vitality and working form to the 

 precedents and principles already laid down by the Legislature of this Province. 



SCORE CARD SYSTEM, CLEANLINESS, COLDNESS. 



From the principle and plan of inspection, it is pertinent to pass to the 

 points to be observed and the benefits to be aimed at in that regard. In this* con- 

 nection, we heartily commend the score card as admirably adapted to systematize 

 the work, facilitate record keeping and simplify effort, both from the standpoint 

 of the inspector and the inspected. A copy of a score card will be found in the 

 appendix. Under it, various points are given for cleanliness, ventilation, water 

 supply, healthfulness of cattle, and so forth, making a total possible of one hun- 

 dred. It has been found in some places 1 that a high score has a real commer- 

 cial value by enhancing the price and securing a better market, and in Western 

 Ontario a graduate of the Agricultural College stated that he was able to get better 

 prices for his milk by having a reputation for sanitary care. 



Whatever the system, first prominence should be given to the importance of 

 cleanlines's and coldness at every stage in the handling of milk. About this there 

 is nothing new or novel. Science, in showing the dangers of contamination and 

 demonstrating the influence of temperature in developing bacteria, has illuminated 

 the need for care and emphasized the value of ice; but even before science supplied 

 the explanation, it was ^recognized that milk should be handled carefully and kept 

 cold. At the same time we are convinced by what we have seen in all parts of this 

 Province that there is still considerable room for improvement in this regard on 

 the part of all concerned. We are not disposed to exact conditions which might 

 be criticized as "fads," but it should always be remembered that milk is a food for 

 human consumption and it should be handled accordingly. We believe that every 

 dairy barn should be lime- washed repeatedly and that the practice of removing the 

 dung to at least fifty feet from the barn, or, better still, spreading it on the fields, 

 should be more generally adopted. There should be no stagnant pool or other ob- 

 jectionable nuisance in the barnyard. A little attention to draining and grading 

 the barnyard will remove the conditions of mud and manure through which cows' 

 often have to wade to get to the stable and which renders it difficult to keep the 

 animals clean. The stable should preferably be of cement floor, for that is more 

 easily kept clean and free from objectionable odour arising from soakage; but, 

 equally important, it should have plenty of sunlight and ventilation. The hind 

 quarters and udders of the cows should be clipped when they enter the stable for 

 the winter, and the cattle should be brushed every day some little time before milk- 

 ing to secure greater comfort to the animal and prevent dirt from the animal drop- 

 ping into the milk pail. In the milking the first drawn milk should be discharged, 

 as it contains large numbers of bacteria. A small-top pail has been found to lessen 

 the dangers of contamination from dust or particles from the cow by twenty-five 

 pev cent. The milk should be removed from the stable immediately it is drawn 

 from the cow. Each dairy farm should be equipped with a milk house, which need 

 not be expensive, but which should be kept clean and should be supplied with a 

 plentiful quantity of pure cold water, or preferably ice. Especially in the summer 



