The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-06-22
BITTER. AND RoPY MILK.
The Source and Nature of the Bacteria
Which Makes These Conditions Pos
SihIQ

The distinct bitter taste which
something appears in milk may be
caused by % certain weeds that the
COW has eaten, (2) an abnormal con-
period Of lactation, or ca the action
of certain bacteria. Only the fourth
cause Of bitter milk will be discussed
in this aper.
1t is possible that the bacteria caus-
Ing bitterness are not at all uncOm-
mon and that they could be found in
many lots of milk showing no bitter
ness.
Some of these bacteria form acid
and sour the milk; the more common
forms, however, have little acid and
are checked by the growth of the lac
tic acid bacteria.
Nearly all Of them form spores and
the Tactic acid bacteria. For this rea-
son bitterness has been most frequent
ly observed in p~aSteurized and imper-
fectly sterilized milk.
n few remaining spores germi-
nate, and as they are unhindered by
the presence Of Tactic acid bacteria
they soon reach unusual number and
the bitter flavor appears.
BITTER milk may appear as an cpl
demlc, persisting day after day, and
causing great trouble This may be
due to some constant localized source
of infection which adds each day I'M
usual numbers Of bacteria to the milk.
In some cases it has been found
that h udder Of a COW was infected.
This should be determined by care
fully cleaning the udderS of all COWS
and milking from each quarter Of the
udder of each cow into fruit Jars or
bottles which have previously been
leaned with boiling water.
In case n of these samples shows
= Wal1-GGNr11nnaI IitAa r,hila
others email normal, it may be as
sumed that the source of Infection is
the udder of the COW. In tina case
there should be injected into the I'D
der after each milking a solution of
one part of. h~yposulphate of soda in
100 parts of water.
1t is possible in many cases that the
source of infection is not localized. If
through some combination of circum-
stances the tactic acid bacteria are
suppressed, other kinds become pre-
dominant.
The utensils, the milk room and the
stable gradually become inoculated
and each new lot of milk is thoroughly
i~noculated.
The bitter milk bacteria may be one
of the new forms. IN this event it
may be necessary, after thoroughly
cleaning everything coming in con-
tact with h milk, to introduce some
good sour milk coming from a neigh
boring dairy.
In this wa the normal fermenta-
ton may be restored and the objec-
tionab1e bacteria suppressed.
Ropy milk is, so far as known, in
no way detrimental to health. The
famous Edam cheese is nearly all
made from milk which has undergone
this fermentation.
Most people, however, object seri-
ously to milk with any tendency to
form threads. This trouble frequently
affects the milk of a dairy day after
day, and is removed only by the most
drastic measures.
Outbreaks of this nature frequently
occur in the cold months, because the
bacteria of this group thrive better at
low temperatures than the lactic-acid
bacteria which hold them in check
under normal conditions.
In one case it was found that these
bacteria were abundant in the dust of
the stable. The trouble was remov-
ed by thoroughly cleaning and white
washing.
In another serious and persistent
it was found that the milk
as it came from the dairy contained
few or no ropy milk bacteria, but they
were abundant in the water tank in
which the milk was held overnight.
The small amount Of water occa-
sionally splashed into the cans added
sufficient bacteria to make the milk
ropy in a comparatively short time.
The utensils and floor had become
so thoroughly impregnated with this
organism that milk exposed in the
room or strained through the Wire
strainer became ropy without contain
ination with the water.
: h trouble vas removed by thor
ouehlv scalding all the utensils, dis
injecting the floor with 5 per cent
sulphuric acid solution and Destroy
ing the organisms in the ice water by
adding potassium bichronate-ln the