The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-03

OF N NJ 4 !. ( s ]. ? y
Interesting Results Of Recent
B Scientific Study Methods
Employed By Diaries.
PRESENT c CONDITIONS FAULTY.
Clean Stables and Clean Cows
Would Work Great Change
in Infant Mortality.

H Most Of us realize tho Importance Of
a pure milk supply, but few OF US realize
how supersensitfve to contamination milk
really is. It was III order to determine
the extent of this contamination and to
devise a remedy for 1t that the argicul-
tural stations Of the University Of
.NIlnois began a series OF investiga tons
Into the milk supply several years ago.
The result Of these investiga lions, now
made public. should be of great hygienio
5value.S These experiments have been un-}
der the direction of Wilbur ]. Fraser,
chief In dairy husbandry, and give the
most exact information in regard to the
subject that is possessed # II the meth
DDS devised for keeping the milk pure
could be followed out bybevery dairyman
In the country they would result In the
saving of many million dollars annually.
since milk could be kept for much
longer time without deterioating than It
is possible, to keep 1t now under present
unfavorable conditions. s ~ 81 Il
81 AS ordinary handled 1t is not In suit
able condition for human food for longer
than from twelve to forty-elght hours
after It Is drawn, the time depending
upon the temperature at which Il 1t Is
held Generally speaking, It costs as
much to deliver milk to the consumer
after 1t Is produced as It docs to pro-
duce It; yet, lf5it We're perfectly pure,
large supplies OF milk could be delivered
at one time and thus reduce the delivery
to once week. or even less frequently,
whch would both increase tho producers
profits and reduce the price OF the con-
sumner. On the other hand, the health
or the community would be greatly bene-
fitted, and there can DO little doubt that
the mortality among infants during tho
summer months would be markedly de-
creased under proper conditions OF pro-
duotlon.
Counting Bacteria in Milk. 81
In order to determine tho amount Of
bacteria that develop4n a given quantity
OF milk, after drawn from the milk glands
OF a healthy COW. which are germ free,
circular glass dishes. with vertical sides.
having covers fitting over the sides. were
used These dishes were washed and
sterIlzed, and then covered with steril-
lied houlon, about one >sghth OF an inch
In depth. This beef boullion furnishes the
nutriment ma terlal for the growth OF bnc-
teriu, II these dishes, which were ex-
posed for a brief time, We're contains
mated during the process OF milking,
germs would readily Develop. and the
amount of contamination could be de-
termlned,
When the exposures We're made IN tho
omen field fifty per cent. were sterile
while of those made In the barnyard
only twelve per cent. were sterile. me
result obtained in barns show that with
q dry ana dusty floor, the bacterial con-
tents OF the air Is large when the cows
are In tho barn. even though they are
not brushed and no hay or bedding Is
used, Dust arising from brushing cows
Is even more heavily laden with bacte-
ria than results from most other sources
TO avoid evils OF contamination, simple
aid relatively inexpensive methods OF
handling the milk may be employed IN
the first place, the stable and Its SUR
roundings should be clean. yard Stop
ing from the barn and covered with
gravel VI cinders, Is an Important factor
in tho production OF clean milk the
stable need not be OF costly construction,
hut should be arranged with view OF
cleanliness and the comfort OF the cows
Whitewashing tho stable at least onoe
n year viii greatly aid In keeping It In
d sanitary condition. An abundance or
light and fresh air Is likewise necessary
to tho common production q wholesome 9
milk. =,
Cows Must | liz Kept Clean
rhe animals theA(Alves must be kept
clean 4 large souNse OF concentration
comes from the udders, These should
be washed before milking the number
of colonies of bacteria developed from
exposures OF apparently clean. pr.wAshed
udders was three times as many as
under the same udders after washlng.
With soiled or muddy udders, s,lch as
are frequently found in dStriss' the
benefits derived from washing ndders
are much greater than these results
show, With udders that We're apparently
clean. At WAS. found 4 that an y RYsfage
Of three and "a half times ~ gauch dirt