Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-02-03
RoPY MILK.
A Disease Caused by Fungous Vegetable
Growths- Cure and Prevention.

GrOWchs-Cure ana PreventlOns
In bulletin No. 140 of the Michigan
Agricultural college Professor G. E.
Marshall gives the following means Of
eradicating the foul yeast plant which
drops into milk and makes it ropy:
Since bacteria may find their way
into milk from the air, from the lower
portion of the COW, from the mixer or
the cans the plan of determination may
be arranged accordingly.
Although the air does have bacteria
which may be detrimental to milk, yet
it cannot be regarded as the most i'm
portant factor Since it may be a source,
it must always be considered, when the
bacteria are to be eradicated, by ascer-
tanning whether it makes any difference
to change the COWS to another barn OF
to milk them in the open air. Take the
milk from the milkhouse or pantry for
a short time to see whether the trouble
will disappear. By changing the air
conditions and environments it may be
possible to stop the evil at the start. If
the air of the milkhouse should be the
carrier of the bacteria, it may probably
be traced to dust arising from the floor
or elsewhere and would point to thor
ough cleansing of the place. This can
be done by first removing any dirt that
may be about and then following with
strong disinfectants Wash the floor,
walls and ceiling with solution of cor
rosive sublimate made in the strength of
e IL; -
parts Of water. Use this freely on all
the woodwork, shelves, tables and
wherever it will not come in contact
with metallic substances or utensils
used in the dairy.
After this has been done burn three
or four pounds of sulphur to every 1000
cubic feet Of air space This may be
done most effectually by closing all pos
sibilities of escape and placing the sui
phur in an iron vessel which rests upon
bricks in tub of water. To start it,
add little alcohol Allow the process
of fumigation to continue from 48 to 70
hours. Any room or building may be
rendered fit for use in this way. If it'll
were stable, thorough scrubbing Of
walls, ceiling and floor, with few
days of airing, would be all that could
be done. Whenever whitewash can be
used after the washing, it makes good
accessory.
To cleanse the lower portion of the
cow it would be we'll to clean off the
thickest of the dirt in dry state, then
wash off with solution of corrosive sub
Innate made in the strength Of to $1,000
of water. Allow this to dry sufficiently
to insure against any of the liquid drop
ping into the milk. The udders gather
bacteria from the soil of the pasture,
weeds, straw, water in which the COWS
may stand and from the soiled condition
of many stables. Doubtless most of the
bacteria which find their way into the
milk enter by way of the udder In thel
eradication of bacteria the udders must
be washed thoroughly among the first
steps taken.
The hands and clothes of the mixer
have their significance, but unless in
fictitious diseases are about there is little
chance from regular incubation with
bacteria of detrimental nature. 1t isl
best, however, to have the mixer wash
his hands in solution of corrosive sub
Innate made in the strength of l toll
1000 when there is trouble of a,bacte-
rial nature.
There is nothing SO essential as thor
ough cleaning of the milk pals and
cans. When once harboring the bacteria,
unless they are made absolutely clean
they will be continuous agent of in
oculation. Milk vessels should alz6aysl
be boiled for one-half hour after every
milking when ropy milk exists in the
dairy, and this should be followed dur
ing the presence of the trouble, for as
long as it exists the vessels will be con-
taminated, and of course these injurious
bacteria must be killed.
If it is impracticable to place the
cans and milk pals in a boiler, boiling
water could be utilized by filling the
can with it and keeping it hot by a re-
newal every few minutes. This process
of sterilizing should continue for at least
one-half hour.