The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-05-19
FIG. xx11-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 a 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 in the barn after it
is drawn, but taken Immediately to
the milk room.
Many creameries and city milk deal
ers practice pasteurization. This sim
ply consists in heating the milk to as
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 do
much harm. In creameries. a starter
that is, a portion Of milk which con.
tains a 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
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 c~orpuscles,
which seem to have no duty to per-
form but to seize and destroy these
invaders. 1t is only when an 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 part
Of the chemical. two parts salt and
1000 parts water), should be used
freely. Care should be taken not to
carry the germs from the sick ami
mails to the we'll ones while caring for
them.
Wounds, such as wire cuts, need es.
pecial care to prevent infection. Or
binary disinfectants are too irritating,
yet something must be done to keep
the bacteria from attacking the raw
surfaces. Keeping the wound bound
up tightly and sprinkling daily with
powdered iodoform is one of the best
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 d%isinfection
will do much to hold the injurious
ones In check, and the, others need
no encouragement to continue doing
their invisible though none the less
real work to help US. There is no espe-
cial reason why the germ problem
should be made a matter of constant
u~neasiness on the part of the farmer.
1t requires a 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 in
intrenching himself behind cleanliness,
Thus fortified he viii have little occa.
sion to make a special study Of bac-
terra. Let the scientists do that.