DAIRY INSPECTION 127 
tamination can, with few exceptions, be discovered by a 
careful inspection. A proper laboratory examination of 
the milk in connection with the inspection will generally 
detect those conditions which may escape discovery at 
the inspection. The information obtained by inspection 
will serve as a basis for judging the quality of milk which 
may be produced, not only on the day of inspection but 
also thereafter. Moreover, inspection brings a repre- 
sentative of the health authorities into personal contact 
with the dairyman, a condition which should make for a 
better understanding and more sympathy on both sides. 
It is sometimes asserted that the bacterial testing of 
milk is more efficient in improving or controlling a milk 
supply than dairy inspection. This statement, however, 
will not bear critical examination. The ordinary bac- 
terial test merely approximates the number of clumps of 
bacteria present in a very small portion of milk. It does 
not determine the number of bacteria present, the kind, 
nor their source. It does not tell whether a high count 
is due to conditions existing at the dairy farm, during 
transportation, or at the distributing plant. It does not 
discover the presence of pathogenic organisms, excepting, 
perhaps, streptococci, and it does not indicate the source 
of these latter organisms. On the other hand, inspection 
of a dairy farm will disclose the physical condition of the 
cows, the sanitary condition of the premises, the char- 
acter of the equipment, the methods in use, and the physi- 
cal condition and proficiency of the dairyman and his 
employees. Dairy inspection alone will certainly furnish 
more useful information for judging the hygienic prop- 
erties of milk than bacterial testing alone. Asan adjunct 
to dairy inspection, however, bacterial testing and other 
laboratory methods of examining milk are of great ser- 
