The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-21

On every side mikmen are confronted
with undesirable changes i'll their milk,
due to causes oftentimes concealed from
them. How to prevent these changes and
secure a product which Is desirable to
their customers are vexing questions and
they are usually left unanswered. Milk
is a rich food for bacteria. In the udder
of a COW free from disease the milk is
free from bacteria. 1t is on the way
through the milk duct, and its contact
with the dust of the air, the hands of the
mixer, the dirt of the pail, that milk be-
comes richly inoculated or contaminated
with bacteria. This incubation or con-
tamination is governed in richness In
proportion, to the amount of filth that
surrounds the milking process. II is pos
sible to draw milk from the udder of
COW without introducing thousands Of
bacteria but this is not realized by the
usual methods of milking. 1t is safe to
say, nevertheless, that the number of bac-
terra will be diminished as the cleanli-
ness is increased. II is a common expe-
rience among milkmen to have their milk
sour while distributing it, This Is more
likely to occur during extremely warm and
muggy weather. If we stop for a moment
to consider how this souring takes place.
IL Will DE easy from GdIlOIdl STANDPOINT,
to reduce the chances by introducing safe
methods of handling. The bacteria that
cause the souring of milk are very album
dant in dairles, on the utensils, and in
the dust of the air, the clothes and hands
of the mixer, in fact everywhere. Hav-
ing once gained entrance to the milk, a
splendid food for bacteria they multi
ply very rapidly, so that thousand with
in the course of a few hours increase
TO many millions. They feed upon the
sugar of the milk, and by so doing con-
vert it into an acid which, in turn, curdies
the milk Bacteria, like plants, grows
much more rapidly when the temperature
is suitable, as we find it in warm, muggy
weather. If the atmospheric temperature
is cold or the milk is cold they are re-
strained in their development, consequent
ly the milk remains sweet much longer
A practical lesson might be drawn here
which would be of great value if borne in
mind. Cool the milk as soon as it comes
from the COW, and keep it cold until it
reaches the consumer, If you desire to fur
nish absolutely sweet milk, which has not
undergone any change. This single illus
tration of the possible change In milk
through the agencies of bacteria Introduces
us to a long series of changes which may
occur. Colored milk, bitter milk, ropy
milk, tainted milk, off-havored milk, etc,
may take place, but usually those changes
cannot be regarded as detrimental to
health. 1t is seldom that consumers men
ton changes of this nature. unless they
are very noticeable. 1t is true, they may
take alarm at some of these harmless fer
mentations lest they find something more
serious Household consumers have heard
much discussion about tuberculosis, diph-
iberia, typhoid fever, scarlet fever and
tyrotoxioon poisoning, and they are fear
! full lest these reports should be we'll found
ed. Hygienists cultivate this popular be-
| lief, and rightly so, because they know
that there is danger in a promiseuous use
of milk from an unknown source. c. E.
: Marshal.