Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-06-23
TELLS HOW TO CARE
FOR MILK IN HOME
SOurs Slowly at Low Tempera-
lures; Clean Receptacles Aid;
Whipping Cream

advent of warm weather the care of
milk in the home becomes more COM
pleX than during the late Autumn and
winter Heat to the extent accumu-
lated by allowing milk to stand on a
warm porch or in the sun is enough
to start the bacteria in milk to multi
plying at a rapid rate and thus make
! 1t unit for use as sweet milk, accord
ing to the dairy specialists of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture. 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
receptacles, may easily contaminate
the milk.
Milk Is regarded as a natural cul-
ture medium for bacteria, and the
rapidity with which the various forms
will multiply, under the proper tenn
peratures. is astonishing. 1t has been
shown that If a cubic centimeter
(about " teaspoonfuD of milk con-
tanning 10 bacteria is kept at 6S de-
grees temperature for "a hours, the
bacteria will have multiplied into
about $1,000. In the same milk, If
held at so degrees, the growth of bac-
terra would be very small. possibly
as low as 40 in "a hours. Milk
which contains a large number of bac-
terra is either not fresh or has come
from a diseased cow or has otherwise
been contaminated.
Flies Most Dangerous
Flies are possibly the most danger
GUS bacteria carriers which are like
ly 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
stabbed continuously. Milk may be
handled 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 con-
sumed, it very soon begins to change
and grow sour. In fact, the bacterial
content increases rapidly as long as
the milk remains above so degrees
Fahrenheit. The bacteria are dormant
or increase slowly at a lower temper
ature. For this reason, every precau-
ton for keeping milk cool from the
time 1t is produced until it reaches
the consumer is essential, and espe-
cially so during the warm weather.
Milk may absorb impurities when
ever ii is exposed to the air, or placed
in unclean vessels. The amount or
degree of contamination depends on
the cleanliness of the air and of the
utensil. Even the air of a so-called
clean room contains some impurities.
If the producer and dealer have done
their duty, there is left at the con-
sumers door bottle of clean. cold,
unadulterated milk. But the consum-
er also has responsibilities in handling
milk so that it continues to be fit for
consumption, especially as food for
babies. The milk in the home may
be placed in unclean vessels or exposed
unnecessarily to the air, or not kept
cool until the time of using. Thus
things may happen to the milk affect
ing its quality, many of which are
caused through carelessness.
Receiving Milk at the Home
The expression "a bottle of clean,
cold, unadulterated milk" describes
the kind of milk which should be de-
livered to the home. The method of
dipping milk from large cans and
pouring 1t into the customers recep-
tacle in the street. with all the Incl
dent exposure to the air, not always
the cleanest, with all the incident ex-
posure to the air, not always the
NlCailCol 10 a Dctd DIdCllCt. IIdNlIlS
milk from the faucet of a retailers
can is almost as bad as dipping milk
although the milk is not exposed to
the air as long as by the dipping pro-
cess. Besides the insanitary part of
this method. some consumers unless
the milk is kept well agitated, are
likely to receive less than their pro-
portion of cream. The custom of set
ting out at night an uncovered vessel
fah tI,4,tCon1g oF
from the street dust before the milk
is put into 1t, is obviously very insani-
tary. and yet it is practiced to a large
extent If milk is to be received in a
bowl or pail by the consumer. it is
worth while to have it delivered per-
sonally to some member of the fam
lily, or If the receptacle is to be placed
in waiting for the milk deliverer, it
should be covered with a plate or
better still, a glass preserving jar may
be used, in which nothing but milk is
put. The jars with the glass tops are
preferable; no rubber bands should
be used
Avoid Direct Sunlight
Direct sunlight on the bottle of milk
warns it rapidly, and increases the
bacterial content. Milk which is de-
livered very early in the morning. say
at o'clock in the morning, and re-
o'clock, Is very likely to become warm
and less fit for human consumption
than If 1t were taken in the house
and placed in the refrigerator early in
the morning.
Milk should not be transferred from
the original bottle into another recep-
tacle until just before consumption.
The bottle should be kept covered
with paper cap, or an inverted tum-
bier as long as the milk is in It, Milk
deteriorates by exposure to the air in
the pantry, kitchen or nursery. House
wives are familiar with the ability
milk has to absorb smells from strong
foods, like fish, cabbage, or onions.
1t is obvious, therefore, that such
foods should be kept out of the re-
frigerator which contains milk
If the milk Is received in a. bowl
pail. or other receptacle, instead of a
bottle, the same rules apply to the
keeping of the milk as those men
toned above for bottled milk Milk
from the grocery store or bakery
which is kept in a can, open most Of
the time, and possibly without re-
frigeration, is to be strictly avoided
Care of Refrigerator.
The refrigerator, unless kept
scrupulously clean, often Is in itself
source of the production of bad
flavor in milk. The refrigerator
should be inspected at short intervals,
at which times the outlet for the melt
ed ice should be freed, the ice-rack
cleaned, and the place where the
food is kept scalded with sal-soda
solution. Even though the refrigera-
tor is cold a few drops of SMILED