lOO ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



The most serious problem that confronts our dairy food commission^ 

 ers today is how to obtain pure milk for the city. We cannot realize the 

 deaths and the sorrows that have occurred from the use of filthy milk^. 

 and yet, if milk is properly handled, it is the most nutritious food that can 

 be given for the maintenance of mankind. 



Now, what must we do? Firisl, in order to accomplish what we 

 ought to in the proper handling of milk. To explain this I must go to the 

 foundation. 



The fundamental principles of the care of milk lies mostly in the 

 governing of bacteria life, combined with the absorption of gases. The 

 absorption of gases was thoroughly explained by Mr. Gurler, so I will take 

 the bacteria side of it. 



All animal matter and vegetable manner, if exposed to air at ordin- 

 ary temperature undergoes a change. This change is called fermenta- 

 tion, decay, or rot. The most common change in milk is that of souring. 

 The souring of milk and the changing of any organic substance is due to 

 a bacteria growth, due to a small vegetble organism called a germ or 

 bacteria development. Germs or bacteria have different effects. Some 

 of them are useful; we need them in the manufacture of butter, and they 

 give butter its flavor. We need them in the manufacture of cheese to 

 flavor it too. 



Others are harmful, they produce taints, ropey milk, etc., and still 

 others produce disease, such as tuberculosis, typhoid fever, cholera, and 

 the like. In short, they are the scavengers of the earth's surface. If it 

 were not for this bacteria, the earth's surface would be covered with 

 carcasses and vegetable matter. It is to that they should go back again; 

 it decomposes. They are very abundant over the earth, within the bounds 

 of plant life. They are so abundant that it is a hard matter to get any 

 substance that has been exposed to the air that is not thoroughly infect- 

 ed with it. The dust particles of the air are filled with this bacteria. 

 Our clothes are full of them, we can shake them off. The cow's hair is 

 thoroughly infected with it. They even get into the cow's teats and in- 

 fect milk before the milk is drawn, and for this reason you should al- 



