MEDICAL MILK COMMISSIONS AND CERTIFIED MILK. 21 
contests, so that they indicate a knowledge of dairy sanitation and 
do not necessarily mean a uniform product of the same high quality. 
KEEPING QUALITIES OF CERTIFIED MILK. 
As would naturally be expected, certified milk with its small num- 
ber of bacteria will keep sweet for a long time. The theory that clean 
milk should have a long keeping quality works out in practice. In- 
stances are on record where certified milk has been taken on an ocean 
voyage and not only brought back in good condition but kept sweet 
until 30 days old. In fact, it is now a common practice for people 
when crossing the water or taking a long land journey with infants 
to take several cases of certified milk with them. They are then rea- 
sonably sure of having a constant supply of sweet milk for several 
days. This has been a great convenience and has given comfort to 
many people. 
A number of certified-milk dairies in the United States sent exhibits 
of milk to the Paris Exposition in 1900. The milk kept perfectly 
sweet for two weeks and in some instances 18 days after being bot- 
tled and after a summer journey of 3,000 to 4,000 miles. Eegular 
delivery bottles were used, the only extra precaution being to use two 
paper caps instead of one, and to cover the caps with paraffin so as to 
exclude the air. Of course the milk was carefully packed in ice for 
shipment, but this was the only means used for preservation. 
The milk and cream contests at the National Dair)^ Show in recent 
years have demonstrated the remarkable keeping qualities of certified 
milk. Some of the samples submitted have come to Chicago from 
as far as the States of Washington and California, and from various 
parts of Canada. Though these samples have some of them been 
over a week old when plated, they have shown remarkably low bac- 
terial counts, in some instances the count being less than 1,000 per 
cubic centimeter. After this milk has been judged it has been kept 
in cold storage, and some has been consumed over two weeks after its 
production, when it was found perfectly palatable and apparently 
unchanged in any way. 
However, it is not advisable to use old milk even though it may 
taste sweet. Serious consequences may result due to bacterial growth 
which can not be detected in the flavor of the milk. 
IS THE PRODUCTION OF CERTIFIED MILK PROFITABLE ? 
At the present time the unqualified statement can not be made that 
the production of certified milk is a profitable venture. Seventy- 
four certified-milk producers answered the questions sent out by the 
Dairy Division as to the profitableness of certified-milk production, 
and their answers may be grouped as follows: Unprofitable, 33; 
profitable, 22; not very profitable, 4; fairly profitable, 11; condi- 
