112 THE COMMON SENSE OF THE MILK QUESTION 



bacteria which are in themselves quite harmless to 

 man, according to all observations yet made, do, 

 when they are present in milk in very large numbers, 

 produce toxic changes which to some extent adversely 

 affect the intestines of young children and cause 

 diarrhoeal diseases.^ Recognition of this fact has 

 led to various attempts to draw the danger line in 

 bacterial content, to fix upon a maximum number 

 per cubic centimeter of which it can be said: "Be- 

 yond this number there is danger and death. Milk 

 with a larger number of bacteria than this standard 

 sets must not be given to an infant." If it is true 

 that serious gastro-intestinal troubles are caused 

 by an excessive percentage of bacteria, even of the 

 kinds which, in small numbers, are harmless, what 

 standard ought to be adopted? 



Upon this point. Professor von Behring has pro- 

 claimed that milk which contains more than one 

 thousand bacteria per cubic centimeter is never fit 

 for infant consumption and should on no account be 

 given to a baby.™ Most authorities agree, however, 

 that, while Professor von Behring's test represents 

 a standard of purity that is very attTactive as an 

 ideal, it is not likely to be attained on a large scale 

 for many years to- come — some pessimistically 

 say that it will never be realized. It is perfectly 

 true that milk with an even smaller bacterial content 

 has been obtained in many places, in Rochester, 



