257 
was numerically enormous may be gleaned from the following sum- 
mary : 
Samples showing — 
Less than 10,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 0 
From 10,000 to 50,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 0 
From 50,000 to 100,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 0 
From 100,000 to 250,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 2 
From 250,000 to 500,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 3 
From 500,000 to 1,000,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 14 
From 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 23 
From 2,000,000 to 5,000,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 34 
From 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 50 
From 10,000,000 to 25,000,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 64 
From 25,000,000 to 50,000,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 42 
From 50,000,000 to 100,000,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 15 
Above 100,000,000 organisms per cubic centimeter 16 
A study ^f the individual results from which the above summary 
was made shows that the average number of organisms per cubic cen- 
timeter is 26,612,371. The maximum count obtained was 365,000,000, 
the minimum 137,500 per cubic centimeter. Of the total number of 
samples, 71.1 per cent showed the presence of gas-producing organ- 
isms when 2 per cent dextrose fermentation tubes were inoculated 
with 0.01 cubic centimeter of the sample. 
Reports on the presence or absence of streptococci have been made 
on 115 of the above samples; 38.3 per cent of this number showed the 
presence of the organism, and 61.7 per cent of the samples examined 
failed to show it when tested by the method above described. 
During the course of this investigation 53 manufactories of ice 
cream in Washington, large and small, have been visited in order to 
determine the sanitary conditions prevailing where this food product 
is manufactured. In 62.2 per cent of these places the ice cream is 
made in the basement or cellar. In nearly all cases they are improp- 
erly constructed to meet the demand of sanitar}^ conditions. The ceil- 
ings are low and generally show a gross collection of filth and cob- 
Avebs on the rough joints overhead. Occasionally a cellar is finished 
Avith a metal ceiling or plaster, but even when such improA^ements are 
noticed the absence of natural proper light or A^entilation generally 
makes the cellar basement in Washington an unfit place for the man- 
ufacture or preparation of ice cream. Many of the buildings are of 
old-time construction and Avere not originally designed for the pres- 
ent-day purposes. With such construction as they show it is practi- 
cally impossible to keep the aA^erage basement or cellar in a proper 
and fit condition for the handling of milk, cream, and milk products, 
no matter hoAv honest and thorough may be the attem,pts of the 
tenants to do so. 
45276°— Bull. 56—12 17 
