Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-07-28


Saturday, issued the following state
with the milk situation in the United
States:
1T is enormously supposed that the
Department of Agriculture has estab-
lished absolute standards and bac-
terial counts To which all milk COM
ing under its jurisdiction in interstate
commerce must comply. The De-
partment has established no absolute
standards. 1t certainly has not anG
will not establish any rule declaring
that milk containing less than GER
tain number of bacteria per cubic
centmeter is good milk. Under such
a standard. milk containing less than
a certain number of typhoid or tuber-
passed, as coming up to standard. A
simple count If the bacteria is not il
itself sufficient to determine absolute
ly its safety. The nature Of the bac-
terra as we'll as their number also
must if possible be considered. The
presence Of only Il few disease pro-
dueing bacteria might make the milk
dangerous, while several thousand
harmless bacteria could be present
without necessarily indicating that
the milk was unsafe. The presence
OF even a few colon bacilli is pre-
sumptiSe evidence that cow manure
has been allowed to get into the mill
between the COW and the consumer
Similarly, high count of the kind,
of bacteria that normally are presen
in, nil h ha hn
dirty, or that il has not been held a
low temperature or that it is old.
Attitude Toward Darymen.
THE Department in its milk &C
tivities is carrying on an extensive
campaign of education to help dairy
men produce and market good clear
milk. This work is carried on princi
pally by the Dairy Division of til.
Bureau of Animal Industry. Thi
Division exercises no policing func
ton. 1t has no power under the la
to seize milk or to prosecute mill
dealers. Its work is purely educa
tional. This division issues man
educational bulletins based upon it
experiments in the economical pro
duction of clean milk. 1t supple
farmers with these bulletins and ais
sends men into the field to show mill
producers how to make change
within their means which will rails
the quality of their milk and also in
crease their profits. These demonstra
tors have helped milk producers VIII
supply over POO cities. In each city
these demonstrators eooperated will
Il,
help them secure evidence or brine
prosecutions, but to improve the loca
system of inspection whereby the in
spectors can aid the milk producers
the territory to bring their milk up &c
the city's own standard without be
ing called upon to make excessive ex-
penditures.
Visiting the Farms.
With the inspectors, the demon
strators visit the dairy farms a.
friends of the farmer. They MAY
show him that certain cows in hi
herd do not yield enough milk to pa.
for their feed. Or the demonstrators
may point out certain changes il
feeding which will greatly increas'
the yield. They help the farmer
build an inexpensive milk house, anc
show him how window or two or
waterproof floor for his barn. or q
little whitewash or more frequent
cleaning will actually increase hi
profits. Where desired, they explain
methods of pasteuriZation and ship
ping and handling of milk. Through
this Bureau, the Department supplies
tubercuiin for testing herds. These
demonstra tors have no power to cofl
pei the farmer to follow their advice
they merely try to show him that
these measures are for his own good
They do not and can not require the
farmer to paSteurize his milk. Where
they find herd that is not tested for
tuberculosis, or milk being produce
in an unclean way. they advise that
the milk be pasteuriZed, using any on
of number of competing machine
or a home made pasteurizer AS
result of this work, thousands o
farmers have introduced new ant
methods of producing and
shipping milk-not because they were
forced to do SO, but because they saw
the justice of protecting theiA con
sumers and found that they lost less
milk and made greater profits by fol-
lowing the specialists advice.
Determinations Benefits.
THE Dairy Division advises the
of milk unknown or of
purity because in large
measure it protects the consumer
from dangers that might be incurred
BY using such milk in the raw state.
PasteuriZation is not recommended as
4 substitute for sanitary precautions
but as an additional SAFEGUARD whe.
the inspection is not sufficient t.
guarantee the purity of the milk.
THE Dairy Division also is con-
Quoting an extensive campaign among