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10
made in this direction. The great thing is how to get the milk
from the cow to the consumer without undue pollution. Of course,
the first point of contamination is in the cowshed. The chief
difficulties in connection with contamination here are:
1. Dirtiness of udders, teats, and flanks of the cows.
2. Want of cleanliness of vessels, churns, etc.
3. The necessity for covering the vessels when full,
and cooling forthwith.
4. Cleanliness of cooler.
I have done my best to get these items attended to, but most
dairymen look upon it all as fads and theories of the Medical
Officer and as a sort of persecution which adds to the expense of
production, and until the public are alive to the necessity for
clean milk and are prepared to pay for it, I fear little will be
accomplished.
Then there is the contamination in retailing, and lastly in the
consumer's house—open milk jugs exposed to all kinds of contamination,
flies, etc.—so that dirty milk is not all the cowkeeper's
fault, but has to be apportioned between the producer, the
retailer, and the consumer. To my mind the only method of any
value is:
(a) Milk produced clean.
(b) Bottled clean.
(c) Kept in the bottle until used.
Of course this means a little more expense, which will be
readily paid I think when the public become educated up to
realizing the absolute necessity for it.