milking until it reaches the consmiier it is liable to be con- 

 taminated in vaiioiiB ways. 



Milk holds a peculiar poisition amongRt food stuffs 

 in tha,t it is an excellent medium for the growth of microi 

 organism, both ordinai^^ putrefactive or dijsease producing 

 vari(!,ties. Growth may be most rapid under favorable con- 

 ditions. Let us, refer to some I'eports on the number of 

 organisms found. In St. Peter-ebiu-g, milk as delivered tO' 

 the homes contained from 10 million to 32 million, London 

 31 million, New York 35 million, and in Washington (lOOG), 

 as high as 307 million, a.nd average about 22 million bacteria 

 to C. C. (One C. C. = 15 drops.) 



If milk were transparent this luxuriant growth would 

 be plainly vi&ible to the eyes, and a similar growth on 

 ordinarjr media would render the saaiie distinctly unsight- 

 ly and disgusting. 



Compare this with an average count of sewage, and 

 from figures which I show yO'U giving the average estimate 

 of bacilli in the latter, demonstrate that such isewage rarely 

 exceeded 4,000,000. You will readily see the necessity for 



Bacteria per cubic 

 Sewage of — Average for — centimeter. 



Boston, Mas.?, (a). 1894 to 1901 2,800,000 



London, Eng. (b) 1894 101901 2,000,000 to 11,000,000 



London, Eng (c) 1898 3,500,00010 4,000,000 



(crude sewage) 



Lawrence, Mass. (d)..Sep. 24 to Oct. 24, 1890. 3,034.000 



St. Mary's, Ohio, (e) ... .16 Saniple.s, 1907 5,600,000 



Westerville, Ohio, (e) 16 Samples, 1907 2,350,000 



Marion, Ohio, (e) . . , 16 Samples, 1907 239,000 



the prevention of all possible conttimination, rapid trans- 

 portation and the liberal use of ice, C'speciaJly in the sum- 

 mer months. In the collection of samples of Certified 

 Milk, the greatest care. is necessary in order to prevent bacs 

 terial growth before the milk reaches the laboratory. 



79 



