112 MUNICIPAL SANITARY CONTROL OF MILK. 



Bacterial counts take so long to carry out that they do not 

 afford protection against the use of any given lot of highly 

 polluted milk. An exception to this is afforded when Slack's 

 method for the direct microscopic estimate of numbers is used. 

 Ordinary counts do, however, discourage the habitual occur- 

 rence of such conditions. The method of making numerical 

 determinations is described in Chap. VIII, and other labora- 

 tory methods are discussed in Chap. VII. 



Education of the public. The general public must be in- 

 formed concerning the significance of clean milk. The market 

 for cheap, dirty milk must be destroyed as far as possible by 

 the education of the public concerning its significance. Clean 

 milk costs more, but people will not pay the increased price 

 until they see the advantage. In matters concerning legisla- 

 tion and prosecution, the support of the public is desirable, if 

 not indispensable. 



The publication of the results of scoring dairies, showing 

 their relative standing is a useful educational factor. This 

 must be done circumspectly to avoid damage suits instituted by 

 those dairymen who do not make a favorable showing. It 

 seems safe to convey these facts in an ofiicial report, for in- 

 stance, by the inspector or health officer to the board of health. 

 This report may be given wide publicity in the press as a part 

 of the proceedings of the board. Before going farther than 

 this it would be well to determine the possible consequences. 



Public education should include matters concerning the care 

 of milk in the home, such as cleanliness of utensils, refriger- 

 ation, home pasteurization and the keeping qualities of pas- 

 teurized milk. 



The agents for accomplishing educational work may include 

 leaflets published by the board of health, the press, lectures 

 before civic organizations, women's clubs, etc. 



REFERENCES. 



1. Bolton. Sanitary water supplies for dairy farms. Bui. No. 41, 

 Hyg. Lab., U. S. Pub. Health and Mar. Hasp. Serv., Washington, D. 

 C, 1908, p. 527. 



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