PUBLIC PROBLEMS 193 
ferred. Unfortunately, however, these grades are often based 
upon standards of untested value, and the result has frequently 
been to confuse the situation, rather than to improve it. 
Dairy Inspection.—During recent years the practice of inspect- 
ing dairies has sprung up. ‘This was started first by some of the 
milk-supply companies of the large cities, because they wished to 
protect their supply for commercial purposes. Some of them 
began, at least a dozen years ago, to send inspectors periodically 
among the dairies which furnished them with milk. Within a few 
years it has been realized that a public dairy inspection of this sort 
would be of great value in improving the general milk-supply and 
in furnishing the public with better milk. Such a public dairy in- 
spection has been begun in some sections around the larger cities. 
The inspectors visit the farms, note all methods employed, con- 
demn the faulty ones and make suggestions as to improvement. 
The inspection is for the advantage of the consumer and producer, 
and the dairyman should welcome rather than resent such visits 
and helpful suggestions. 
The inspectors give attention to the following points: (rz) 
General cleanliness in the dairy. (2) The condition of the cows. 
(3) The source of the dairy water. (4) The condition of the barn. 
(5) The method of disposing of the manure. (6) The method of 
milking. (7) The condition of the milkers. (8) The treatment 
of the milk after milking. (9) The method of washing and steriliz- 
ing all dairy utensils. (x0) The bottling of the milk. (11) The 
method and care of transportation. ‘The farmer should be pre- 
pared to meet the inspector upon all these points. 
In connection with dairy inspection has arisen the practice of 
scoring the dairies. Several different score cards have been de- 
vised, all of which agree in furnishing a concise means of recording 
the different sanitary features of the dairy and summing it all up 
in a score figured on a percentage basis. ‘There has arisen a general 
impression that the dairy scores show the quality of the milk pro- 
duced, and many cities require milk to come from dairies having a 
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