Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-02-16
FIG. xxI1-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 1t
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 1t thousands Of germs. The milk
should not be left In the barn after it
is drawn. but taken Immediately to
the milk room.
Many creameries and city milk deal
1 ers practice pasteurization. This SIM
ply consists in heating the milk to as
1 high 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 do
much harm. In creameries a starter
that is, portion of milk which con-
tains particular kind of bacteria-is
added after pasteurization and the
cream then 'ripened" for twelve hours
or SO. By thus supplying germs which
are known to produce desirable fla
vors and killing the others butter of
h}rb lo
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 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 al animal
becomes weakened from one cause or
another that these corpuscles fail to
do their duty and the germs begin their
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 a 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 ant
LOCO parts water,, should be uset
: freely Care should be taken not tt
carry the germs from the sick ami
mails to the we'll ones while caring fo
them.
Wounds. such as wire cuts. need es
pecial care 10 prevent infection. Or
binary disinfectants are toe Irritating
yet something must be done to keel
the bacteria from attacking the raw
surfaces. Keeping the wound bount
up tightly md sprinkling daily witt
powdered iodoform is one of the hes
ways of insuring rapid healing
The "crm problem. like the problem
of weeds ard insects. is easily solve,
if il is gone at III the right way
Cleanliness. sunlight and disinfectio
will do much to hold the injuriou
ones in check. and the others nee
no encouragement to continue dom
their invisible Though none the les
real work to help us. There is no espt
cial reason why the germ probel
, should be made matter OF constal
: uneasiness on the part of the farme
:, 1t requires scientist to discriminat
between bacteria that are injuriou
and those that are necessary. and |
the meantime it Is sufficient for tn
ordinary agriculturist to be diligent
intrenching himself behind cleanliness
Thus fortified he will have little occ,
: zion to make a special study Of ba
. t.ria Let the scientists do that.