10 
BULLETIN 391, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
leaking eggs, because it has been observed that such eggs become 
moldy or otherwise deteriorate much more quickly than eggs with 
sound shells. For the same reason dirty eggs are not held in storage 
in very large quantities, nor for a very long period, although the 
deterioration of such eggs is not so rapid as is the case with cracked 
and leaking eggs. The observations of practical egg handlers, as well 
as laboratory results, show clearly the necessity for breaking dirty 
and cracked eggs as promptly as possible and preserving them in 
a frozen or dried form. 
Table IV. — Relation of bacteria in eggs to cleanliness and soundness of shell. 
I. EGGS CONTAINING BACTERIA. 
Soundness of shell. 
Cleanliness 
of shell. 
Number 
examined. 
Number 
positive. 
Per cent 
positive. 
Whole ... 
Clean 
Dirty 
Clean 
Dirty 
Clean 
Dirty 
760 
407 
599 
185 
73 
23 
44 
103 
43 
22 
9 
7.5 
10.8 
17 2 
Do 
Do. 
23 2 
28 2 
Do, 
39 1 
Total 
2,052 
278 
13.5 
II. VARIATION IN BACTERIAL COUNT OF EGGS CONTAINING BACTERIA. 
Number of bacteria per cc. 
Description of shell. 
101 to 1,000: 
1,001 to 
10,000. 
10.001 to 
£0,000.' 
50,001 to 
100,000. 
100,001 to 
500,000. 
Over 
500,000. 
Total 
num- 
ber 
of 
eggs. 
Num- 
berof 
eggs. 
Per 
cent. 
Num- 
ber of 
eggs. 
Per 
cent. 
Num- 
ber of 
eggs. 
Per 
cent. 
Num- 
ber of 
eggs. 
Per 
cent. 
Num- 
ber of 
eggs. 
Per 
cent. 
Num- 
ber of 
eggs. 
Per 
cent. 
Whole and clean 
Whole and dirty 
Cracked and clean . . . 
Cracked and dirty . . . 
Leaking and clean. . . 
Leaking and dirty. . . 
22 
11 
24 
11 
6 
2 
38.8 
25.0 
23.3 
25.6 
27.3 
22.2 
10 
5 
21 
3 
5 
1 
17.5 
11.4 
20.4 
6.9 
22.7 
11.1 
3 
5 
19 
6 
2 
1 
5.2 
11.4 
18.4 
13.9 
9.1 
11.1 
3 
6 
4 
6 
1 
5.2 
13.6 
3.8 
13.9 
4.5 
4 
3 
13 
3 
2 
7.0 
6.8 
12.6 
16.3 
13.6 
22.3 
15 
14 
22 
10 
5 
3 
26.3 
31.8 
21.4 
23.3 
22.7 
33.3 
57 
44 
103 
43 
22 
9 
Total .. 
76 
45 
36 
20 
32 
69 
278 
III. EGGS CONTAINING ORGANISMS FERMENTING LACTOSE BILE. 
Soundness of shell. 
Cleanliness 
of shell. 
Number 
examined. 
Number 
positive. 
Per cent 
positive. 
Whole 
Clean 
Dirty 
Clean 
Dirty.... 
727 
405 
645 
203 
2 
14 
24 
16 
0.3 
Do 
3.4 
Cracked and leaking 
Do 
3.7 
7.8 
Total 
1,980 
56 
2.8 
