The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-23
FULL REPORT ON MEAT
 AND MILK INSPECTION
 PREPARED BY DUNCAN

served and intelligently carried out will aid the dairymen In producing clean milk of a satisfactory quality:
 l. (A) The air in the dairy barn where milking is done should be pure and free from dust, and should there fore be properly ventilated in order to prevent contamination while milk Is being drawn 6B) All milk containers should be properly cleaned and steri- lized co The cows should be kept properly cleaned, and before milking the udder should be cleaned with moist cloth and then dried with a clean cloth. (D) The hands of the milkers should be washed with soap immediate ly before milking, and the ntilkers should wear clean clothes. not used at other work. Absolute cleanliness should be used in all that pertains to the production and care of the milk. Instead of the usual type of milk pail used, 1t is recommended that pail be used having only a small opening.
 3. Immediately after being drawn the milk should be removed to the milk room and properly strained and then be thoroughly and rapidly cooled, and for this purpose it is absolutely essential that ice be used. The water in the ice box should be deep enough to come up to the depth of the milk in the can, and the quantity of water in the ice box should be three times as much as the milk intended to be cooled.
 g. The milk should be delivered to the customers as quickly as possible and at a temperature as near 50 de- grees F, as can be done.
 Practically all of the wagons now used for transportation and the delivery of milk are comparatively new, being clean and neatly painted, large percentage of these having been purchased quite recently There are now only a small number of wagons used by local dairy men for the delivery of milk that are old and in need of painting and nearly all of these are to be replaced shortly with new and more sanitary wagons Frequently some of the open, dilapidated and insanitary milk wagons used for the delivery of milk in some of the suburban towns may be seen on the streets of Birmingham, as they come in after feed and supplies. It must be understood that such wagons are not allowed to be used for the delivery of milk in this city
 During the year approximately 1000 sam ples of milk and cream were collected from dairymen, dealers, hotels restau- rants and soda founts and tested for the percentage of fat and adulterations. As a general rule the milk supplied to the consumers in the city during the past year was comparatively good and of standard quality. However, several ar rests were made where samples of milk collected showed results below the min imum standard required by law. One hundred and forty gallons of milk was condemned and destroyed for the reason that it had been adulterated by the addi- tion of water.
 When samples of milk collected showed suspicion of foreign coloring or preserva- tiVes, tests were made, but none of these aduterants were found.
 Milk and cream served in cafes and restaurants during the past year a whole was of good quality and of high grade than that sold in these places in former years The department appre- ciates the many voluntary expressions on the part of prominent citizens to the eff feet that it is possible for them to ob- tain good milk in these places.
 A large number of other samples of milk and cream were collected in steril- ized bottles and kept on ice until taken to the laboratory, where the bacterial count was made of same. In many in stances the results obtained were highly satisfactory, yet other results were ex- cessively high In all cases where sam ples showed the bacterial count exceed ing 500000 per cubic centimeter, warnings were given to the dairymen or dealer from whom the sample was collected and he was required to remedy the trouble.
 Age and temperature are the two fac tors that contribute most largely to the high bacterial count, although the orig inal contamination may greatly influence the result. If milk is improperly handled and becomes contaminated the subsequent development of the bacteria will natural ly be more rapid. Special stress is here laid upon the importance of quick and thorough cooling and the maintenance of low temperature until the milk Is de- livered.
 1zatv hoe sod oil possible care In producing milk of O sat isfactory quality and has delivered the same to the customer in good condition and at a low temperature, the customer may by improper care, allow the milk to become spoiled, and without due thought attach all blame to the dealer. As soon as delivered the milk should be placed in a refrigerator but not in the same compartment with meats and other food supplies usually kept in such places.
 By experiment it has been shown that milk produced by untrained milkers and those educated and trained to do the work intellgently, and who appreciate the laws of hygiene show very different re- suits from a meteorological standpoint, very flattering to the latter class. Also it has been proven by experiment that milk drawn into a pail having small opening at the top, and the usual type of 
 great difference in the bacterial count, as by the use of the former the 11ilk is much less exposed to contamination.
 The department appreciates and Is will ing to acknowledge any assistance rem dered that would tend to help improve the milk supply, realizing that the regula- tion and control of the milk supply Is problem difficult of solution, not difficult in this city alone, but in all cities through out the country.
 It is not claimed that the inspection work has reached a state of perfection, and is above criticism. but it can be said without fear of successful contradiction that dairy conditions are far more satis- factory than they have been at any time since the inspection for this city was es- tablished, and in no single year has the progress toward bettering dairy condi- tions been so great as the year just passed We can assure all consumers of milk that the barnyards of the dairtes from which the milk comes are not reek- ing in filth, but are kept in reasonably clean and sanitary condition. The depart ment always insists that dairies and the lots adjacent be kept clean, and to de- termine this inspections are made from time to time and the findings are report ed to the mayor, which reports he gen erally has published in the local news papers, thus enabling the consumers to judge for themselves as to the conditions prevailing at the dairies from which the milk supply comes.
 Considerable agitation as to sediment in milk was given during the year, not only in Birmingham, but in many other cities throughout the country. Even Chlcago's milk supply was found to contain sedi- ment, according to published reports. It has not been thought to be wise to cut