The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-06-10
The Danger Of Infected Milk.

OF all the edibles produced upon the
Il farm milk alone contains all the ele-
lnents of a perfect food says Mrs. Clarl;
Hardy in the Chicago Drovers Journal
For this reason that the milk which
we use in our cooking and upon our
tables should be pure and uncontamin-
{ ated goes without saying. Milk may
& take on an unusual and disagreeable
favor from certain foods which the
cows consume and still not be harm
fuIlto the health, but milk that is I'M
sanitary is more harmful than almost
any other kind of deleterious foodstuffs
If farm people understood more OF
the nature of bacteria they might not
be so easy With regard to the possible
infection of the milk from their own
cows. 1t is said that in single drop
of badly infected milk the bacteria may
be counted by the millions, and that
they cannot be seen by the naked eye
does not make their number any less.
under favorable conditions bacteria
multiply very rapidly and bacterium
lmay develop and be ready to reproduce
itself in very few moments.
Milk furnishes in marked degree
the elements of bacterial growth-food,
warmth and moisture. The food ele-
ments required by bacteria are present
lin milk in the form of nitrogen. carbon.
oxygen and mineral matter; these are
furnished by the casein, albumen. sugar
and mineral salts.
If milk is heated high enough to kill
all the living germs and then suddenly
cooled to a low temperature 1t will keep
sweet a long time. 1t must be kept at
the boiling point for at least ten min
utes. however, and then carefully and
quickly cooled and placed where It will
not absorb any germs that may be in
the air.
But not all bacteria are harmful, and
this is no reason that il is sometimes
best to add a starter to the cream which
we wish to ripen quickly for churning.
This starter may be cream that is
slightly sour, and therefore active in
bacteria, which gives the aroma and
flavor to butter.
1t is not pleasant subject to consider,
this OF bacteria in our food substances,
but it is a necessary one TO the health
of our families, and therefore IL we are
wise we VIII try to understand the why
and wherefore of infected milk and
how best to guard against it.
The three causes of infected milk are
diseased animals, uncleaniness in the
stables and uncleanlineSs outside the
stables. tuberculosis, diphtheria, an
thraX and foot and mouth disease are
some of the diseases which may be
transmitted from the COW to mankind.
But fortunately these diseases are rare;
but every farmer who owns a herd of
COWS should give the most scrupulous
attention to their health, that no dis
ease germs may affect his own family.
Milk may be contaminated by mixers
who have contagious diseases or have
been in contact with those who have.
Epidemics of typhoid, scarlet fever and
diphthera have been traced to the milk
from farms where the disease has been
located
Very often milk is infected by the
cows drinking water that receives the
drainage of cesspools and sewer pipes,
and too much attention cannot be given
to the purity of the drinking water
of the herd But for the most part the
infectionzof milk is due TO the uncleanly
condition OF the mixers and the
stables.
1t has been said that the largest part
of the impurities OF milk get into 1t
after 1t has been drawn and before 1T
is taken from the barn. In all barns.
no matter how clearly, myrlttds of
bacteria are floating about in the air,
and in barns that are only cleaned once
or twice Il week there Is constant
shower falling all the time. When we
are told by those who are authority
upon the subject that in ordinary milk
more than SO grains of common stable
dirt have been found in 100 pounds Of
milk, we must understand that the
far from Clearly or healthful. To pre-
vent the disease producing bacteria
usually found in milk healthy cows
and perfect cleanliness is the only rem
edy.
The stables, the COWS and the milk
ers should be scrupulously Clean The
cows should be brushed off and also
the clothing Of the mixers. The milk
ers' hands should be clean and the milk
should be removed from the barn as
soon as drawn from the cows The
milk cans and strainer should never be
left standing in the barn for conven-
fence in straining the milk, and 1t Is
neither foolish nor finicky to milk
through cheesecloth pail cover, as
then there is small danger of the milk
being contaminated by dust germs or
particles falling from the COW.
1t goes without saying that milk
should be kept in a light, cool, sunny
room, and that perfect cleanliness of
all the utensils is positive necessity.
But as it Is unavoidable that some
bacteria will get into the milk, 1t
should be cooled down as soon as pos
sible and kept at low temperature
to prevent the multiplication OF the
germs.
I do believe that If proper cleanliness
were observed In the care Of the cows
aid the milk after 1t Is drawn the
spread of diseases in the country would
be reduced to a minimum. But the
trouble is that men will not take pains
to clean their cows and their stables
and this is the prime cause Of much Of
the diseases which have their origin in
infected milk.