PASTEURIZED M ILJC.•-•-• Milk of this class shall come from cows free from disease as determined by physical examina tions by a qualified veterinarian, and shall be produced and handled under sanitary conditions, such that the bacteria count at no time exceeds 200,000 per cubic centimeter. All milk of this class shall be pasteurized under official super vision, and the bacteria count shall not exceed 10,000 per aftric centimeter at the time of delivery to the consumer. It is recommended that dairies from which this supply is obtained should score 65 on the United States Bureau of Animal Industry score card.
- Milk of this class shall come from cows free fiom disease as determined by physical examination, of which one each year shall be by a qualified veterinarian, and shall be pro duced and handled under sanitary conditions, such that the bacteria count at no time exceeds 1,000,000 per cubic centi meter. All milk of this class shall be pasteurized under official supervision, and the bacteria count shall not exceed 50.000 per cubic centimeter when delivered to the consumer.
It is recommended that dairies producing grade B milk should be scored and that the health departments or the controlling departments, whatever they may be, strive to bring these sources up as rapidly as possible.
Milk of this class shall come from cows free from disease as determined by physical examinations, and shall include all milk that is produced under conditions, such that the bacteria count' is in excess of 1,000,000 per cubic centimeter.
All milk of this class shall be pasteurized, or heated to a higher temperature, and shall contain less than 50,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter when delivered to the consumer.
Whenever any large city or community finds it neces sary, on account of the length of haul or other peculiar condition, to allow the sale of grade C milk, its sale shall be surrounded by safeguards such as to insure the restric tion of its use to cooking and manufacturing purposes.
These grades and standards have been adopted, either directly or with such modifica tions as local conditions might suggest, in sev eral of the States and cities of the United States and it seems certain that such grading of the milk supply will soon become the general rule.
Significance of Bacteria in Milk.— There has been considerable controversy as to what sanitary significance can properly be attached to the presence of large numbers of bacteria in milk. It is certain that many of the species which multiply most rapidly in milk are entirely harmless and in fact certain fermented milks which contain enormous numbers of lactic acid bacteria are believed by many to be particularly wholesome. On the other hand it is, in gen eral, only as a result of unsanitary methods or insufficient safeguards in the handling of milk that the large numbers, sometimes found in market milk, can be accounted for, so that in general the presence of large numbers of bac teria reflects serious doubt upon the sanitary quality and even upon the wholesomeness of milk. Present opinion on this matter isper haps best presented in the words of the follow ing resolution recently adopted by the Commis sion on Milk Standards: " Whereas, milk is one of the most perishable foods. being extremely susceptible to contamination and decom position. and " Whereas, the milk consumer is justified in demanding that milk should be clean, fresh and cold. in addition to having the element of safety, and Whereas, milk which is from healthy cowls and is dean, fresh, and which has been kept cold, will always have a low bacterial count, and Whereas, milk that is dirty, stale, or has been left warm, will have a high bactenal count; therefore, it is resolved: First: That the health officer is justified in using the bacterial count as an indicator of the degree of care exer cised by the producer and dealer in securing milk from healthy cows and in keeping the same clean. fresh and cold; and " Second: That the health officer is justified in con de ring milk with a high bacterial count as being either unhealthy or , or containing dirt, filth, or de composed material as a result of the multiplication of bacteria due to age and temperature.