152 MANUAL OF MILK PRODUCTS 



IMPORTANCE OF CLEAN MILK TO THE CONSUMER 



The consumer is interested in clean milk primarily because 

 no one cares to use a food which is not produced and handled 

 under sanitary conditions. There is a more direct interest, 

 however, because of the danger of contracting disease which 

 may be communicated by this means. Serious epidemics of 

 typhoid fever, septic sore throat, and other diseases have been 

 disseminated through the milk supply. The weight of scientific 

 evidence at the present time leads to the conclusion that tuber- 

 culosis may be transmitted from animals to human beings, 

 particularly children, who consume raw milk containing tu- 

 bercle bacilli. 



Cleanliness is not an absolute safeguard against disease, but 

 it is the greatest factor in preventing contamination. From 

 the health standpoint there is great danger not only from the 

 specific disease-producing bacteria previously mentioned, but 

 from milk that contains large numbers of miscellaneous bac- 

 teria which may cause serious digestive troubles, especially in 

 infants and invalids whose diet consists chiefly of milk. There 

 is also the minor consideration of the loss to the consumer from 

 milk souring or otherwise spoiling before it can be used. The 

 cleaner the milk, the longer it will keep good and sweet. 



IMPORTANCE OF CLEAN MILK TO THE PRODUCER 



Clean milk not only benefits the consumer, but the milk- 

 producer will find many ways in which he himself is benefited 

 by producing clean milk. There are a number of items in this 

 connection which, when considered alone, may seem unimpor- 

 tant, yet collective^ they are of great importance. Moreover, 

 they are not only of immediate value, but have a cumulative 

 value reaching far into the future. 



Most producers of market milk have experienced the chagrin 

 of having a shipment of milk refused or returned because it 



