Production and inspection of milk

Front matter

(lass r)>tjjf

Book /¥ t?

ISSUED JULY 31, 1912

Table Of Contents

Page.

Normal milk 5-31

Biology of milk 5

Preface

Milk is unquestionably the most important of all foods. Infants and young children depend upon it almost exclusively for sustenance and growth. Milk enters into the daily ration of nearly every adult person, particularly in the United States. The daily per capita consumption of milk ranges from one half pint to one pint in different cities. Milk is an ideal food, containing in a readily digestible form and in proper proportions all the elements of a complete, balanced ration. It is universally recognized as peculiarly adapted for the nourishment of children, invalids and convalescents.

Recent investigations have shown the necessity of Federal, State and municipal control of food products. Such control is particularly important in the case of milk for reasons that nearly all kinds of bacteria grow and multiply in milk, that in the ordinary method of handling it is exposed repeatedly to contamination, that milk sugar and casein are easily decomposed into disagreeable or dangerous products, that milk is consumed in largest quantities by children and invalids who are most susceptible to such products, that milk may carry infections diseases, that milk may be deliberately adulterated or treated with preservatives, and that the consumer can detect none of these abnormal conditions except souring, which is the least harmful of all.

Pure milk is obtained by milking healthy well-groomed cows in clean, sanitary surroundings, in thoroughly cleansed pails, and then cooling the milk to 50°F. or lower, and bottling it or pouring it into tightly closed cans without allowing any contamination to occur from the milkers or other source. Legal phraseology is always ponderous and mystifying and milk inspection regulations may seem unnecessarily complicated. Nevertheless, the only fundamental idea is cleanliness and this idea is easily understood. Healthy cows, healthy attendants, wholesome feeding stuffs, clean water, clean milk utensils, and clean habits are the only requisites. This may be further reduced to two terms, the proper conception of cleanliness and the desire to be cleanly.

An ideal system of milk inspection includes a veterinary inspection of cows, stables, water supply and surroundings ; a supervision of milk rooms, milk utensils and methods of cleaning them ; supervision of methods of cooling milk and their effectiveness; control of the health and personal habits of the milkers; determination of the temperature at time of delivery, specific gravity, fat, total solids, acidity, presence of preservatives, and bacterial content. The mere laboratory examination of samples of milk taken from dealers is not sufficient.

The cost of milk production has increased in recent years. ISTew equipment to meet the requirements of health officers is an added burden to the milk producer, who may reasonably expect more for his milk after the cost of production lias increased. At present the consumer has too little real interest in a pure milk supply. We of I en hear the milk consumer talk glibly about sanitary milk, and at the same time rebel against paying a higher price for such milk. How can we expect the milk producer to increase his expenses all along the line from the cow to the consumer, if he is compelled to sell his milk for the same price as milk produced more cheaply and under less sanitary conditions? There have been several discouraging experiences along this line. In one instance a philanthropist established a modiel dairy where milk was produced under ideal sanitary conditions and with a remarkably low bacterial content. The public manifested no interest in the movement and showed no preference for sanitary milk over ordinary milk at the same price. The project was therefore abandoned.

The purpose of the present volume is partly educational and, partly practical. It is hoped that the milk producer may gather from it a conception of what constitutes pure milk and definite suggestions as to how to produce such milk. It is even more earnestly hoped that the milk consumer will more clearly realize the value of pure milk and appreciate the extra expense of producing such milk, at least to the extent of being willing to pay more for it than for ordinary milk.

More or less effective regulations for milk inspection have been adopted in nearly every city of the United States. The inspector in enforcing these regulations requires veterinary, engineering and chemical knowledge and, much tact as well as practical experience in dairying.

In order that the sanitary regulation of milk may be accomplished most fully it is necessary that the milk producer, the milk consumer and the milk inspector should come to a mutual understanding of one another's problems and difficulties, and cooperate in a cordial and earnest manner. In working to accomplish this purpose the author has reviewed the field of literature on milk and has presented, the essential points in the light of personal experience. The dairyman will find a statement of approved methods of feeding and caring for cows, treating their diseases, handling, transportation, sale, refrigeration and pasteurization of milk. The inspector will find a statement of the normal and abnormal properties of milk, the symptoms of bovine diseases, the sanitary requirements of buildings used for dairy purposes, methods of testing and analyzing milk, detecting preservatives and adulterants, and the bacteriological study of milk. The milk consumer will obtain information on the dangers from impure milk, on the nature of the work of the milk inspector, and on what it means to produce pure milk.

Most of the data recorded in this report are drawn from experience on the mainland, in the old dairy sections. Dairy conditions in Hawaii are different in many respects. The ease with which green fodder can be had the year around is an advantage. In almost every other respect the Hawaiian dairyman is at a disadvantage as compared with the mainland dairyman. Cows give less milk in tropical climates — in Hawaii from four to seven quarts per day. All grains are considerably higher in price. The cultivation of the soil and the raising of green crops are more expensive. The prevalence of the horn fly is a much more serious matter than on the mainland. The most reliable figures on the actual cos I of producing milk in Hawaii have been collected by Mr. P. M. Pond, who finds the cost to range between H and 9 cents per quart, not including the cost of delivery. Under our present conditions it would seem that the dairyman can not make a reasonable profit on sanitary milk delivered to the consumer at a lower price than 15 cents per quart.

The inspection of dairies carried on under the supervision of Dr. V. A. JNTorgaard, territorial veterinarian, has been a very efficient means of raising the sanitary standard of our dairies, and of safeguarding the public against the dangers of bacterially infected milk. Dr. INTorgaard has brought the intradermal test for tuberculosis to a striking degree of efficiency and reliability.

The vital relation which exists between a sanitary milk supply and the health of infants made it seem desirable to include in this report a chapter on dietetics of milk with reference to infant feeding. This chapter has been written by Dr. Louise Taylor-Jones, a specialist in the diseases of children. There is a peculiar need of careful supervision of the milk supply for children in tropical climates. The recognition of this truth, is coming to fruition in the work of the Palama Settlement, and other public-spirited men in Honolulu.