June 1908. J 



563 



Live Stock. 



foot-and-mouth disease, but milk may acquire 

 infective properties after it leaves the udder 

 of the animal. Numerous instances are 

 pointed out in which sudden outbreaks of 

 typhoid fever, scarlet fever and diptheria 

 have been traced to such infected milk sup- 

 plied by the same milkman. 



Contaminated water and flies often com- 

 municate an infective character to milk. 

 Cholera and enteric or typhoid fever have 

 been known to be caused by milk thus 

 polluted. Exposure to infected air may also 

 taint it in this way and render it dangerous. 



Infected water may convey the germs 

 when used for washing the utensils or in 

 deliberate adulteration. If there is any 

 reason to doubt the purity of the water used 

 for dairy purposes, it should be boiled. The 

 source of the water should, it is suggested, 

 be at least fifty feet from any possible source 

 of infection. 



The following rules mostly taken from a 

 report, in the Veterinary Journal, by Dr. 

 E. H. Webster, are of practical local value 

 in this connection • — 



1. The cattle shed should be kept clean 

 and the manure should be stored under cover 

 at least 40 feet from it, in a dark place, so as 

 not to attract flies. 



2. Clean the entire body of the cow daily. 

 The long hair in the region of the udder 

 should be clipped. Wash the udder and wipe 

 dry with a clean cloth before milking. 



3. To clean dairy utensils use pure water 

 only. First rinse them in warm water, then 

 wash inside and out in hot water in which 

 s oda has been dissolved. Then rinse again 

 a iid sterilize with boiling water and keep 



them inverted in a clean sunny and airy 

 place till they are required for use. 



4. The milker should wash his hands with 

 clean water immediately before milking, and 

 should milk with dry hands. He should 

 wear a clean outer garment which should be 

 kept in a clean place when not in use. 



5. The milk can should not remain in the 

 cattle shed while being filled. Remove the 

 milk of each cow at once from the shed to a 

 clean room and strain and cool immediately 

 to 50° P. 



6. If any part of the milk is unnatural in 

 appearance, or if by accident dirt gets into 

 the milk-pail, the whole milk should be 

 rejected. 



7. Persons suffering from any disease, or 

 who have been exposed to a contagious dis- 

 ease, must remain away from the cows and 

 the milk. 



8. The shorter the time between the pro- 

 duction of milk and its delivery and between 

 delivery and use, the better will be the quality 

 of the milk. 



This paper embodies, in a small compass, 

 the views and suggestions of English and 

 American experts of the present day, and 

 the main practical details connected with 

 milk supply and dairy sanitation. For fur- 

 ther information the reader is referred to the 

 Veterinary Journal. By a curious coinci- 

 dence, the March numbers of 1906, 1967, and 

 1908 contain articles on this important sub- 

 ject, all of which afford useful information. 



E. T. HOOLE, 

 Veterinary Surgeon. 



71 



