The Washington herald., 1914-07-17
TRY 1O KEEP
MILK CLEAN
Department Of Agriculture Is
sues Warning on Danger
in Summer.
COOPERATION IS NEEDED
Housewives carelessness Can Nullify
Efforts Of Dealer and Health
Officers. 1t Is Said.
Beware Of unclean milk!

Beware Of unclean milk!
Such warning Is being spread broad
cast over the nation by the Department
Of Agriculture. whose experts realize
that during hot weather milk is particu-
larly susceptible to contamination. The
warning Is directed to housewives. who
might grow lax or permit their servants
TO become careless during the hot season.
When milk is delivered IL should be put
into the refrigerator with the least possi-
bic delay, says the warning. Very brief
exposure to summer heat makes II unit
for use II It Is impossible to have the
milk bottles put Immediately into the re-
frigerator the housewife should provide
on the porch box containing a lump Of
ice.
In planning house It Is wise TO ar
range a refrigerator set in the wall with
an opening on the outside.
The interior Of the food compartment
should be wiped every day with q clean
cloth and thoroughly scsided at least
once a week Under no circumstances
should the drain pipe Of an ice box be
connected with a sewer.
Don't Replace Cap.
The cap and neck OF a milk bottle
should be washed and carefully wiped
with a clean cloth before the cap Is re-
mONeQ- line cap bnOulo HOl OC Pdonco
down into the bottle. The cap may be
removed with a sharp-pointed instrument
without being pushed down into the milk
The bottle, after being once opened
should be kept covered in the original
bottle.
The original cap should not be re-
placed, but instead an inverted glass
should be put over the top Of the bottle.
The bottle should always be kept in the
refrigerator when not in use. and ary
milk that has been poured from the bottle
into another vessel should not be poured
back into the bottle.
Milk bottles should never be taken into
a sick room. for. as they arr usually
returned to the milkman. they may carry
infectious diseases into other homes,
The duty of each Individual to his
neighbor in this connection is most i'm
portant, according to the warning Of the
experts, and the board of health may
very properly be called to disinfect milk
bottles after they have been In q house
where there is sickness
Cooperation Necessary.
In any case" sasy the warning. bot
ties should be given reasonable care be-
fore being returned to their owner. The
practice of pouring vinegar or kerosene
or other liquids into them temporarily
when not in use should by, all means be
discouraged. The containers should be
washed in cold water first and finally
in warm water before they are returned
to the. farmer supplying the milk
These little details Of cleanliness are
matters which cannot be regulated by
the Federal or State governments. Rules
and regulation that require pure milk to
be delivered to the home may be rem
dered valueless by careless individuals
In the home. The best efforts of the
milkman or farmer to deliver first class
milk will amount to nothing unless in
dividual housewives will cooperate for
the good Of the community"
II boards of health will see that the
people are furnished only with pure and
clean milk and housewives will follow
the above instructions in handling milk
after 1t reaches the home there is likely
to be big decrease in diseases. it is
said.