The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-06-04
CARE
Of Milk And How To Keep It
Sweet
Clean ReCeptaCleS A Great
Aid...SOurS Slowly At
Low Temperature

Washington, d. c., June with
the advent of warm weather the care
of milk in the home becomes more
complex than during the late autum
and winter. Heat to the extent ac-
cumulated by allowing milk to stand
on warm porch or in the sun is
enough to start the bacteria in milk to |
multiplying at a rapid rate and thus
make it unfit for use as sweet milk,
according to the dairy specialists of
the United States Department of Agri- |
culture. The hot days also bring the
flies, the great germ carriers, and the
clouds of dust laden with bacteria,
which when coming to rest on milk re-
ceptacles, may easily contaminate the
milk.
MIX is regarded as natural culture
medium for bacteria, and the rapidity
with which the various forms will null
tiply, under the proper temperatures,
is astonishing. 1t has been shown that
IL cubic centimeter (about one-half
teaspoonfuD OF milk containing 10 bac-
terra is kept at 6S degrees tempera-
ture for "a hours, the bacteria will
have multiplied into about 81 900. In
the same milk, If held at 80 degrees.
the growth Of bacteria would be very
small, possibly as low as 40 in "a
hours. Milk which contains a large
number Of bacteria is either not fresh
or has come from diseased COW or
has otherwise been contaminated.
Flies are possibly the most danger
ous bacteria carriers which are likely
to come in contact with milk. These
scavengers may convey the germs of
typhoid fever or other contagious dis
eases from the sick room or excreta to
the milk Typhoid epidemics have
been caused by flies spreading the
germs. Milk should be guarded from
flies as vigorously as you would avoid
exposure to disease.
Cows are now out on pasture, and
milk is more easily produced under
| sanitary conditions than during the
winter months when the cows are sta
bled continuously. Milk may be han
died by the farmer in the most correct
and sanitary methods known, and yet
| if 1t is not cooled Immediately after
milking and kept cool until consumed,
it very soon begins to change and
grow sour In fact, the bacterial con-
tent increases rapidly as long as the
milk remains above 80 degrees Fahren.
| heit. The bacteria are dormant or in.
crease slowly at a lower temperature
For this reason, every precautiOn for
keeping milk cold from the time it is
produced until it reaches the consum
er is essential, and especially so dur
! ing the warm weather.
Mix may absorb impurities when
! ever il is exposed to the air, or placed
in unclean vessels. The amount OF
degree of contamination depends or
the cleanliness of the air and of the
utensil. Even the air of a so-called
! clean room contains some impurities
II the producer and dealer have done
their duty, there is left at the consum
er's door bottle of clean, cold un
adulterated milk But the consumer
also has responsibilities in handling
milk so that it continues to be fit fo
consumption, especially as food fo
babies. The milk in the home may b,
placed in unclean vessels or exposed
unnecessarily to the air, or not KEEP
cool until the time of using. Thu
things may happen to the milk affect
ing its quality, many of which arr
caused through carelessness
Receiving Milk at the Home
The expression "a hottie of clean
cold unadulterated milk" describes tn
kind of milk which should be deliver
ed to the home. The method of dir
ping milk from large cans and pouring
II into the customers receptacle Il
] lUt SlTttt, Nlln All tHt lnNlutIit t'
posure to the air not always the clear
est, is a bad practice, Drawing mil
from the faucet of a retailers can
almost as bad as dipping milk, a
though the milk is not exposed to tn
air as long as by the dipping process
Besides the insanitary part OF thi
method, some consumers, unless tn
milk is kept well agitated, are likel
to receive less than their proportio
OF cream. The custom OF setting OF
at night an uncovered vessel which co
lects thousands of bacteria from tn
street dust before the milk is put int
il, is obviously very insanitary, an
yet it is practiced to a large extent.
milk is to be received in bowl or pa
by the consumer, 1t is worth while
have it delivered personally to SON