CH. XV CONDITIONS OF MILK SUPPLY 255 



they have so directed) their milkmen to wash their hands 

 before milking, but as they rarely see that their orders are 

 followed, and often neglect to provide facilities for washing, 

 such directions do not amount to much. The writer has made 

 it his practice to visit cowsheds, as far as possible, at milking 

 time. He has repeatedly noted that, even when water, towel 

 (sometimes even towels), and soap are provided, they have not 

 been used, while even if the hands have been washed before 

 starting milking, he has never once found them re -washed 

 during milking. Hands soiled with milk and then used to 

 push over the manure-coated flanks of cows and handle a dirty 

 milking-stool fail to show any evidence of washing after two 

 or three cows have been milked. 



The objectionable process of wet milking is not uncommon. 

 As witnessed by the writer, the milker gives a few pulls 

 at the teats, and allows a little milk to flow on to his hands. 

 He then makes an emulsion of the milk and the dirt on his 

 hands by rubbing them together, the overflow falling into the 

 pail beneath. He then feels in a position to start milking in 

 real earnest, which he proceeds to do. The writer has seen a 

 man do this coming straight from manure carting. Other 

 observers record that they have seen the wet milkers start by 

 dipping their hands in the milk itself. 



The milk pails used to receive the milk are usually pails 

 with quite open tops into which dirt and manm-e readily fall. 



The milk before it is sent away is strained, and whatever 

 else is omitted, straining is not omitted. The strainer is 

 usually a wire one with or without a layer of muslin. Not 

 infrequently, however, strainers of more elaborate kind are 

 adopted. The cowkeeper evidently has a lurking idea that 

 pieces of manure in milk will not increase its saleable pro- 

 perties, so he strains them out. He then feels he has done all 

 that can reasonably be asked of him. The ineffectiveness, etc., 

 of strainers is considered on page 286. 



The above is a description of the milk conditions on an 

 average dairy farm. There are model farms where milking is 

 properly conducted, and in a cleanly fashion, but they are very 

 few in number. That the description given is no exaggera- 

 tion is attested by a multitude of reports by impartial men. 

 An example of conditions found in an urban and in a rural 



