The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-16
MILK BACTERIA
Trail ENDS IN
new DISCOVERY
Investigators Place Blame With
Milking Machine and Improper
Bottle Washing.


Of tests made public March 4, has
been solved, according to health
officers.
The blame is placed upon milk
Ing machines and improper steril-
ization of bottles. There are other
causes, but the two mentioned are
declared to be the ones carrying
the greatest danger The blame is
not laid on the milking machine
especially as an automatic milking
apparatus, but for the reason of
the great difficulty in keeping it
sanitary.
A. r. Lewis. state pure food in
spector, who has been working IN
this community two months with
health officers of Rock Island, MO-
line and East Moline, was greatly
pleased with results OF new milk
tests, and feels confident that
new discovery has been made That
will prove of big benefit to the
dairymen, distributors and public
as well. This applies not only to
this community but also to the en-
tire state
Special tests were made to trace
the source of bacteria in milk that
has been sold here. 1t is probable,
authorities claim. that some dairy
men and distributors were not too
jealous in steTilizing recep .acles
used for milk, and in some cases
improper methods were used. Alter
special tests had directed the in
vestigators to milking machines
and improper sterilization of bot
ties, a move was launched to point
out the absolute necessity of ster-
iliZation of the proper kind.
1t was found that some dairy
men were sterilizing milking ma
chimes and milk bottles by washing
them in hot water and then steam
ing them The method is absolute
ly wrong, for Casein, a constituent
of cheese, can only be dissolved in
cold water and all sterilization
methods must be started by wash
ing milk receptacles in cold water
and alkili and then the steaming
process.
When hot water is used first the
casein is cooked to the sides of the
receptacles and each repeated
washing increases the accumula-
ton, which forms ideal conditions
for the multiplication of bacteria
In the offices of Inspector l.. X.
Eihl, who, with Health officer H.
H. Harris. has done much of the
investigation work, at the city hall
this morning, bottles were exhlb-
tied after proper and improper
methods of sterilization. Those that
had first undergone the cold water
washing were clean and the glass
was clear. The others showed a
whitish color and some accumula-
tiOns were so heavy as to make the
glass almost untransparent.
Cleayeland Test Result.
At the request of II. H Cleave-
land, one Of the owners of the
CIeaveland G. Holmes dairy farm.
two miles east of WATERFOWL, a
special test was conducted by the
state agent, Inspector Eihl. A. Z.
Anderson. Moline city chemist, and
DIR. ]. H. Fowler, East Moline city
physician. Mr. Cleaveland was
present when the tests were made
March 8. A sample of milk from
this dairy farm had been taken
Feb IS, and the result OF chemical
test showed $500 900 bacteria to
the cubic centimeter The state
law demands that the bacteria
count be kept down to 10000.
Later tests, to discover the cause
OF contamination, were made at the
farm March 8. The samples were
taken under what was thought to
be the best conditions possible
a sample drawn from the COW in
an unsterilized bottle by use of a
milking machine showed $40 900
bacteria. A sample drawn into a
properly sterilized bottle by use of
the milking machine showed 81 900
bacteria. A sample MIXED by hand
into an unsterilized bottle showed
161 .000 bacteria A sample MIXED
by hand into a properly steriliZed
bottle showed only $4,000 bacteria.
This test was taken to show that
milk drawn from the COW without
danger of contamination from an
improperly steriliZed milking ma
chine or improperly sterilized bot
tie would show a low bacteria
count.
Peterson Test High.
At request of F. H. Peterson,
owner OF DAIRY ldT1n on ' all
druff's island, Mr.. Lewis conducted
a like test under the best condi-
tons, and milk drawn by hand into
a properly sterilized bottle showed
the lowest count.
A test of milk from this farm
Feb. % showed q bacteria count of
G,140,000. Mr.. Lewis conducted the
new test March s. The following
were the results:
A sample drawn into an unster- !
ilized bottle with a milking machine !
showed $4,000 bacteria: a sample |
drawn into a properly sterilized |
bottle with the milking machine 1
showed only 1900 bacteria; a /
sample drawn by hand into a prop /
erly steriliZed bottle tested only |
10000. This test came within the ,
state demands for certified milk, |
the best that can be had
The result of these findings is to 4
go to all dairymen and milk dis
tributors, who are being advised of
what to do to keep milk free of
dangerous infection.
Two Arrests Scheduled.
1t was announced today by Com
missioner ". H. Fitzsimmons OF the
department of public health that
warrants had been issued for the
arrest of two farmers who sell
milk distributed in Rock Island.
Claim was made that absolute proof