CHAPTER I 



GERMS IN THEIR GENERAL RELATIONS TO MILK 



THE object of this book is to show the importance — nay, 

 even necessity — of a clean milk' production, and the prac- 

 tical methods by which it may be obtained. Heretofore 

 milk has been regarded much in the same light as other 

 articles of food, but it differs from them in many important respects. 

 It is the only animal food which is commonly eaten in the raw state,. 

 and it forms the sole diet for human beings at an immature age,, 

 when they are least able to cope with the disorders which con- 

 taminated and dirty milk is liable to produce. Again — and this; 

 is the chief reason why milk needs especial care in its production — 

 it always contains more or less germs, and, indeed, forms one of 

 the most favorable foods on which germs grow. ' 



The common idea of germs appears to be that they are chiefly 

 important in being the cause of disease, and while some germs do 

 produce disease- — and occasionally those inhabiting milk which has 

 not been properly cared for — yet they mainly interest the farmer 

 on account of their powerful and enormous influence upon milk and 

 its products. The chief aim of this book is to enforce on the farmer 

 and dairyman this one fact, that the One Essential in producing 

 and handling milk is Cleanliness, and cleanliness means in this 

 connection freedom from germs, so far as this is possible. It would 

 scarce be an exaggeration to say that all the trouble which arises 



