714 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



often insanitary, and while he is the subject of the 

 very diseases which milk is capable of distributing, the 

 cow is immune to them. An immense amount of good 

 solid work has been done by the medical profession to 

 improve the cleanliness of milk-supply, but more yet re- 

 mains ; they must regulate the milker ; he, at least, must 

 be above suspicion, both in his general health and cleanli- 

 ness. An ample supply of water and facilities for washing 

 must form part of every dairy equipment ; soap and nail- 

 brushes are essentials, and supervision to insist on their 

 use. Special clothing should also be employed during 

 milking. Given these conditions, with a proper system 

 of distribution, we should hear no more of milk epidemics. 



Cleanliness of the udder and teats of the cow come next 

 in importance ; it has been suggested to wash these with 

 soap and water, but perhaps it would be quite suificient, 

 and in practice infinitely more suitable, if the teats and 

 udder were wiped with a clean cloth. 



The cleanliness of the milk vessels has been assumed, 

 facilities should exist for sterilizing them daily. The milk 

 having been obtained, should at once be removed to the 

 dairy, where it is strained and cooled and is then ready for 

 delivery to the retail seller. 



Even assuming it has left the dairy moderately germ 

 free, as soon as it passes into retail hands a fresh cycle of 

 possible contamination has to be risked. Dirty vessels, 

 dirty hands ; the man on his ' round ' keeps dipping his 

 hands into the can in the process of measuring, hands that 

 could not be above suspicion even if he started his rounds 

 with them surgically clean ! 



Take, again, the milkshops in the poorer parts of crowded 

 cities, where the sale of milk is mixed up with tobacco, 

 paraffin, fish and vegetables ! 



It is, indeed, utterly incomprehensible that all these 

 sources of infection should have had so little real impor- 

 tance attached to them, while a hairless patch on the cow 

 has been credited as the local indications of cow scarlatina! 



It is to guard against the sources of infection, which 



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