The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-10-21
q WOMAN'S COLUMN
A Department Devoted Especially to the
Interests of Ladies and the Home.
Edited by PRUDENCE PRUDE
Edited by PRUDENCE PRUDE

, sibly anthrax (2) The bacteria OF
certain human diseases, such as ty-
phoid fever and diphtheria and the
virus of scarlatina and measles. A
very large number of epidemics of
these diseases has been traced to the
milk supply through which the infec-
lions occurred. The explanation of
this is that in cases in which these
diseases existed among the attendants
or in their homes, sufficient care was
not taken in handling the milk to pre-
vent the entrance of the germs of
these diseases. In case of typhoid fev-
er, the water used in rinsing the
utensils may be contaminated. In
cases of diphtheria it often happens
that those who have recently appar-
entity recovered from the disease, but
who still have the bacill in their
threats, are engaged in milking or IN
otherwise handling the milk, where
by sneezing or coughing these bacilli
may escape from the throat into the
milk. The sad experiences of the past
are teaching the Importance of taxing
reasonable precautions against the
prevention of such maladies.
In cases when bowel trouble, espec
tally in children, follows the use of
milk containing many bacteria, the
immediate cause is quite as likely to
be the effects of the acids and other
by-products which have been produced
in the milk by various forms of bac-
terra, as by the activities within the
digestive tract of any one or more
species of the heterogeneous con-
sumed. We must look to the effect
upon the milk itself for the cause of
many but not all of these troubles. 1t
is to prevent these troubles that pas
teurization is employed.
Milk is sterilized or pasteurilized
for two purposes: To keep it sweet for
a longer time, and to kill all harmful
bacteria it may contain. Sterilizing
milk means boiling the milk for GER
tain length of time, or heating it
nearly to the boiling point, allowing it
to stand for some hours and again
I heating, repeating this several times.
Boiled milk is very difficult for child
rem to digest. Pasteurization is done
by bringing milk to temperature of
from 60 to 65 degrees Centgrade Q31
to 149 degrees Fahrenheit) and hold
| ing it there for twenty minutes, after
which it is cooled quickly. 1t does not
affect the taste, and such milk is more
'eadily digested than boiled milk. We
should not need to depend upon ster-
liking or pasteurizing as means for
proiding germ-free milk. The milk
| should be produced in a clean man
ner, for clean raw milk, no matter
what the method of cooking. Hot air
and sream are valued germicidal
agents. hence their wise use in the
dairy. & sT''T. IA FL rsG4nsAi
The COW needs not only wholesome
food, but to be kept clean. From the
time the milk leaves the udder there
is danger of contamination.
Look first on this picture: A milk
man dressed in clothes brushed clean,
his hands washed in soap and water,
not simply rinsed at the trough, fin
ger nails short and clean, the COW
curried, the udder washed, the pail
covered until necessary to milk, the
stable clear of dirt. And then on this
dirt over night, udder soiled, milk
man dressed as he has been while do
ing all sorts of work, the cows tail
switching and the dirt flying, flies
bothering the COW until she kicks,-if
not into the pail it is only by care
full management that she is prevented
from doing so. Milk produced in this
latter way is hardly worth buying,
while for that of the first milkman
we can afford to pay a good price,
enough to encourage a man to keep
clean and to have clean stables and
COWS. Pay enough to allow the farmer
to secure cement floors, tight ceilings,
good ventilating devices, and general
cleanliness Then he will scrub his
floors and hang up his milking suit to
use only for that purpose.
1--WE always strain our milk, and
the dirt and hairs are removed" say
some. Yes, but We do not like to eat
bread that the mouse ran in, even If
the mouse has gone. A good part of
the dirt is soluble and cannot be
strained out! A diseased COW! We
think it not profitable to throw away
milk, but consider the danger of in
lection to human beings! 1t is safe to
watch the COW in order not to use
the milk of one that is diseased.
The milk was not looking quite
right and the housekeeper interviewed
the milkman. Many hairs and much
dirt in the milk was the complaint.
"Oh, WELL" he said, Il have to hire my
milking done and you know how it is,
they won't always be careful. have
told the man If the COW stepped into
the pail to throw the milk away, but