ADDITION OF ANTISEPTICS 61 



excreted through the udder may be excreted under cer- 

 tain conditions, and by some cows, it will be wise to 

 regard as suspicious all milk from cows that are treated 

 medically with remedies that are toxic, and to forbid its 

 sale for human food. 



Further, since it is quite probable that toxic sub- 

 stances formed in the organism during the course of 

 acute infectious diseases may be excreted through the 

 udder, there is good reason, also, to prevent the use of 

 milk of such animals. 



II. ADDITION OF ANTISEPTICS (PRESERVATIVES) 



The addition of antiseptics is frequently undertaken 

 l)y dealers, in order to increase the ko('i)ing (|uality of 

 milk. In some places the addition of preservatives is 

 very common and quite a number of antiseptics are 

 used. i\s most antiseptics are harmful not only to the 

 lower fungi, but also to the cells of the higher animals, 

 and are to be considered as poisons for animals and 

 man, it is self-evident that the addition of antiseptics 

 should be undertaken with great care or, much better, 

 omitted altogether. In this connection, it must l)e kept 

 in mind that one person may be peculiarly affected by 

 substances that have no effect on another, and that even 

 a small addition of an antiseptic may be harmful to 

 some peoi)le. 



The addition of antisejitics prevents acidulation and 

 coagulation, and so may conceal the fact that the milk 

 is already half spoiled. Some substances, in very slight 

 quantity, directly prevent the increase of acid-forming 

 bacteria, and so, indirectly, they may promote the 

 growth of the more resistant bacteria of putrefaction. 



In most countries the addition of antiseptics to milk 

 and other foods is prohibited by law. 



The ]n-eservatives most used are: boric acid, sali- 



