Ropiness in Milk and Cream. 



229 



Ropiness in Milk and Cream. 



The Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station 

 has recently issued a bulletin dealing with the condition of 

 milk known as ropiness. This condition, which is objec- 

 tionable more on account of its unwholesome appearance 

 than from any known harmful effect which it produces, has 

 received its popular designation from the viscid, slimy con- 

 sistency which characterises the affected milk. The cause 

 has been found to be the action of certain bacteria, and a 

 number of apparently different species have been described 

 as possessing the power of producing the ropy condition. In 

 the cases investigated by the Experimental Station, Bacillus 

 lactis viscosus was found to be the cause of the viscid milk, 

 and the trouble was caused by the use of milk vessels which 

 had not been sufficiently scalded. The bacteria remained in 

 the cans, which had previously contained viscid milk, and were 

 able to survive 4 the washing and thus live to infect further quan- 

 tities of milk. Greater care in scalding utensils brought the 

 trouble to an end. All small utensils were immersed in 

 boiling water for three minutes, and the larger cans were 

 filled to the brim with scalding water. The source from 

 which Bacillus lactis viscosus originally reached the milk 

 •cans is not known ; but in previous investigations it 

 has been shown that its natural habitat is water, 

 and where the trouble occurs particular care should be taken 

 to avoid the use of unboiled water for cleaning utensils, and 

 also to prevent the cows from wading in water. The 

 bacteria may readily be transferred from water to milk by 

 the agency of mud, which, drying upon the udder, may be 

 dislodged during milking. The importance of thoroughly 

 scalding vessels which have once contained ropy milk is 

 strongly urged in the bulletin. 



Water in Butter. 

 A recent number of the LandwirthschafUiche Jahrbncher 

 contains an article by Herr Benno Martiny dealing with the 

 results of an inquiry, carried out by him at the request of 



