The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1909-04-21
FIG. xxI1-How SPORES ARE FORMED

FIG. XXII-HOW SPORES ARE FORMED
much sunshine as possible in the milk
room and COW stable also. Sunlight.
which is so necessary to the growth of
the higher plants, is fatal to bacteria.
The stable where the milking is
done should be cleaned and aired
every day. A coat Of whitewash
should be applied occasionally, as in
addition to being good germ killer it
also makes the stable much lighter.
Hay should not be fed Immediately
before milking, as the dust from it is
covered with bacteria. The udders
and TANKS Of the cows should be kept
perfectly clean. A little dirt falling
from them into the milk will take
with it thousands of germs The milk
should not be left = the barn after it
is drawn, but tai Immediately to
the milk room.
Many cre2merieS az city milk deal
ers practice pas teurizatiOn. This sim
ply consists in heating the milk to rs
high a temperature as possible with
out scalding it. This kills most of the
germs, and the few that are left will
not develop rapidly enough to o.
much harm. In creameries a starter
that is. a portion of milk which con
tains particular kind of bacteria-is
added after pasteurization and thf
cream Their s'ripened" for twelve hours
or so. BY thus supplying germs which
are known to produce desirable fl
vors and killing the others butter OF
very high quality may be made.
There are bacteria everywhere-in
the soil. in the air and in the water
By far the greater number of these
are harmless. Even disease germs
are unable to obtain a foothold in a
perfectly healthy animal or person
The secretiOns of the mouth and the
digestive organs are fatal to many OF
them. Even if they succeed in get
ting into the blood they are not yet
out OF danger. The blood contains
large numbers of white corpuscles
which seem to have no duty to per
form but to seize and destroy these
invaders. 1t is only when an ANNA
becomes weakened from one cause OF
another that these corpuscles fail t6
do their duty and the germs begin theil
destructive work.
The first step in avoiding infection
by disease producing bacteria. then
is to keep the animals healthy by
proper feed. exercise and shelter. The
next point is to do everything posi-
BILE to prevent the germs from getting
into the animals body.
In case contagious disease of any
sort appears the sick animals should
be shut up by themselves as far as
possible from the rest Of the herd
Disinfectants. such as coal tar dips
and bichloride of mercury Zone par
Of the chemical, two parts salt anC
1000 parts water), should be uset
freely. Care should be taken not t.
carry the germs from the sick ami
mails to the we'll ones while caring fol
them
Wounds. such as wire cuts, need es
pecial care to prevent infection. Or
binary disinfectants are too irritating
W OOLdStHiAS IauSt Uc uOuc ~ keel
the bacteria from attacking the raw
surfaces. Keeping the wound bound
up tightly and sprinkling daily will
powdered iodoform is one of the bes1
ways of insuring rapid healing
The germ problem. like the problem
OF weeds and insects, is easily solved
If 1t Is gone at in the right way
Cleanliness, sunlight and disinfectior
will do much to hold the injurious
ones in check, and the others neel
no encouragement to continue doine
their invisible though none the less
real work to help us. There is no espe
c1al reason why the germ problem
should be made a matter of constant
uneasiness on the part of the farmer
1t requires scientist to discriminate
between bacteria that are Injurious
and those that are necessary. and In
the meantime it is sufficient for the
ordinary agriculturist to be diligent II
intrenching himself behind cleanliness
Thus fortified he will have little occa
sion to make special study of BAG
terra. Let the scientists do that.