CHAPTER VI 



BACTERIA IN MILK, MILK PRODUCTS, AND 

 OTHER FOODS 



INJURIOUS micro-organisms in foods are, fortunately for 

 the consumers, usually killed by cooking. Vast num- 

 bers are, as far as we know, of no harm whatever. Alarming 

 reports of the large numbers of bacteria which are contained 

 in this or that food are generally as irrelevant as they are 

 incorrect. Bacteria, as we have seen, are ubiquitous. In 

 food we have abundance of the chief thing necessary to 

 their life and multiplication — favourable nutriment. Hence 

 we should expect to find in uncooked or stale food an ample 

 supply of saprophytic bacteria. There was much wholesome 

 truth in the assertions made some two years ago by the late 

 Professor Kanthack, to the effect that good food as well as 

 bad frequently contained large numbers of bacteria, and 

 often of the same species. It is well that we should be- 

 come familiarised with this idea, for its accuracy cannot be 

 doubted, and its usefulness at the present time may not 

 be without its beneficial effect. 



Nevertheless, it is well we should know the bacterial flora 

 of good and bad foods for at least two reasons. First, there 

 is no doubt whatever that a considerable number of cases of 

 poisoning can be traced every year to food containing harm- 

 ful bacteria or their products. To several of the more 

 notorious cases we shall have occasion to refer in passing. 

 Secondly, we may approach the study of the bacteriology 

 of foods with some hope that therein light will be found 



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