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84
regarding the product which he handles, and often does not
realise the danger which may accrue to the general public, and
particularly to infants, by carelessness on his part.
During the year there has been a marked improvement in
the general conditions under which milk is produced in the
Borough. The toilet of the cows—the use of the curry comb
and brush and the washing of the udder before milking—
has been the subject of gradual education, and, similarly, the
clothing and apparatus used by the milker have been brought
under review and improvements suggested. Attention has
been given to the actual details of milking, and special stress
has been laid on the fact that milk in the udder is clean and
that it is very easily contaminated once it gets outside. The
grooming of the cows before milking is an essential, the
necessity of which comes slowly to the conservative cowman.
It means additional work, as all manure adhering to the hairs
must be removed by curry comb or brush, and occasionally
washing is necessary. Every endeavour is being taken to
foster in each milker pride in the cleanliness of his cows.
Washing facilities for the milker are provided at most of the
farms, and it is usual for the milkers to wash their hands
before milking. Most of the milkers use suitable overalls
and head coverings when milking. At several cowsheds
covered milk pails are used, designed to prevent particles of
dirt, filth, or debris falling into the milk during the milking.
Progress has been made in maintaining the milking stool in a
clean condition, a small but important point, as it has to be
handled when going from cow to cow, and if it is dirty, the
dirt is easily transferred to the cows' teats and thence to the
milking pail.
Supervision is also exercised over the farm dairy, where
the milk is passed through a strainer and then cooled ready
for the retailer. The dairy should be kept exclusively for the