Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-26

In marketing milk or dairy prod
ucts that meet the highest demand
and bring the best prices, the first
step is in it's production. Only milk
from healthy cows should be used
for human food. 1t should be pro-
duced under clean surroundings and
be handled in such a way that in
crease OF bacteria, which cause the
milk to sour, be held as low as pos
sible.
1t does not require expensive
barns and elaborate equipment to
produce milk of low bacteria count.
The dairy specialists Of the United
States sDepadtment of Agriculture
have proved this in a practical eX-
pertinent. The experiment was be-
gun by placing four cows in an
ordinary frame barn and employing
an unframed worker to milk and
care for the animals. No extra at
barn, and for six months the cows
were kept under these conditions.
Then, without any change in barn
management, two cows were MIXED
into small-top pals and the two
others were MIXED into ordinary
open-top pals averaged 1896 bac-
terra to the cubic ceatineter, and
the milk from the small-top pals
averaged 68,214---a difference of
129, 439.
Steam Purifying Proved
The next step in the experiment
consisted of sterilizing the cans and.
ditions remained as before. The
milk from the sterilized small-top
pals averaged only 1902 bacteria
to the cubic centimeter, a reduction
of 351,1S7 in favor of sterihza-
ton. With the open pals steriliza-
q
a decrease of 474,976 compared
with milk from the unsterilized
open pals. Sterilization is not diff
ticult nor expensive. The dairy spe-
cialists of the department have de-
veloped simple steam stcrilizer
which can be made at homo. or can
be purchased complete for about
$40 to SIS. Complete directions for
making it can be obtained by writ
ing to the dairy division of the u.
S. department of agriculture.
In the third stage of the ex-
pertinent the manure was removed
from the barn twice instead of only
once a week, and the udders and
tcats of the cows were washed be-
fore each milking. These reasonable
measures of cleanliness reduced the
count in milk drawn into the ster-
ilized small-top pals to 1856 bac-
terra to the cubic centimeter,, and
III lllC SISIl lIHSi OJell-lOp pals 10
6,l66. Ordinary cleanliness, it can
be seen, caused a reduction of over
10000 bacteria to the cubic cent?
meter.
In the final stage of the expert
ment other measures to insure clean
illness were practiced. The manure
was removed daily, clean bedding
was supplied, and the cows were
groomed regularly with currycomb
and brush. With these final precau-
lions the bacteria count in the small
top pals averaged only 2,154 to the
cubic centimeter, or .1,197,S47 less
than were found in a sample when
the utensils were not steamed.
Put It UP no Consumer
Milk is a highly perishable food
and the length of time it Will re-
main sweet and safe, especially for
children, depends almost entirely up
On the constant care it receives from
the cow to the consumer. Milk
passes through three agencies---the
producer, the dealer, and the con-
sumner. If the first two have done
their part, clean, safe milk will be
delivered. The best way to deliver
milk is in clean, well-capped bottles.
If bottled milk can not be obtained.
1t received in a clean, scalded utensii,
cover it instantly, and place it i'm
mediately in refrigerator or the
coolest available place
Keep in Cool Place
From the time milk is produced
until 1t is consumed it should be
kept cool-at temperature Of so
degrees F. or lower At such tenn
peratures bacteria develop very
slowly and milk undergoes little
change. A Slight rise in tempera-
ture above this point, however, per