128 EEPORT OF THE No. 55 



effect should be embodied in any new legislation. None of these are bovine dis- 

 eases, and hence their dissemination through milk is the result of outside contamin- 

 ation, although diphtheria has been known to be caused by a diseased udder or dis- 

 eased teats. The most frequent means of infection, however, is from a person 

 suffering from one of the diseases milking or handling the milk, from a person 

 who is nursing or otherwise in contact with a victim of the disease milking or 

 handling the milk, or from polluted water being used in the washing of cans or 

 bottles. In fact it is sometimes carried by a milk bottle being taken from a house 

 where the infectious disease prevails. 



All these things call for precautionary measures of the strictest nature. It 

 should be made an offence for anyone suffering from a contagious disease to handle 

 milk in any way, and close attention should be directed to see that all cans and 

 utensils are absolutely sterilized, instead of being merely rinsed with lukewarm 

 water as is too frequently the case. 



TRANSPORTATION AND RETAILING. 



It will be seen that the danger of contamination from infectious diseases ex- 

 ists to almost as great an extent after the milk leaves the farm as before. For 

 this and other reasons equally obvious, no system of supervision is complete which 

 does not include the matter of transportation and vending. At present consuming 

 municipalities have powers of inspection within their territorial limits, and in fu- 

 ture legislation we believe this feature should be retained and its usefulness exten- 

 ded. There can be no doubt but that, especially in the larger cities, a great deal of 

 contamination and high bacteria counts are attributable to careless handling after 

 the milk leaves the producer. Especially in the larger cities, where 24 to 36 hours 

 elapse before the milk reaches the door of the consumer, there is ample time and 

 opportunity for contamination unless strict supervision is exercised. An effort 

 should be made to keep the temperature below 55 degrees, in doing which a min- 

 eral wool wet blanket over cans packed in ice will he found useful ; to maintain strict 

 cleanliness at the premises of the retailer, and to see that the sterilizing of cans 

 and bottles is effectively done. This should also be systematized by use of a score 

 card, for a constant and through supervision in transit is as important as at the 

 source of supply. 



In this connection^ we believe that it should be made an offence to use a milk 

 bottle or can for any purpose other than that of milk container, and we would 

 strongly urge that bottles and cans should be rinsed in cold water as soon as emp- 

 tied. A recital of some of the uses to which milk bottles and cans are sometimes 

 put would prove disgusting. It is a simple matter to rinse them with water as 

 soon as emptied or leave water standing in them until collected, and the effect is 

 of material assistance in sterilizing and means an important step towards cleanli- 

 ness. The ideal milk container is one so inexpensive that it can be thrown away 

 immediately after being used and perhaps before long inventive genius will make 

 this possible. 



Another factor in the distribution of milk is the shop, and this appears to 

 us to be the weakest link in the entire modern chain of milk distribution. While, 

 fortunately, only a comparatively small portion of the milk is sold in this way, 

 it cannot be denied that in hot weather it is sold under the worst possible condi- 

 tions. Surrounded frequently by vegetables, fruit, fish or other merchandise and 

 frequently exposed to a germ-laden atmosphere, it is not surprising that the bac- 



