You all know how disagreeable the taste of spoiled milk is; and it is as dangerous as it is disagreeable.

A very large share of the illnesses of babies and young children, particularly the diseases of stomach and bowels which are so common in hot weather, are due to the use of spoiled, dirty milk.
[Illustration: CLEAN, DRY SUNNING YARDS AT A MODEL DAIRY] There is one sure preventive for all these dangers, and that is _absolute cleanliness_ from cow to customer.

All the changes that take place in milk are caused by germs of various sorts, usually floating in the air, that get into it.

If the milk is so handled and protected, from cow to breakfast table, that these germs cannot get into it, it will remain sweet for several days.
[Illustration: Currying the cow Washing the udders CLEANLINESS BEFORE MILKING] Boards of Health all over the world now are insisting upon absolutely clean barns and cleanly methods of handling, shipping, and selling milk.
In most of our large cities, milk-men are not allowed to sell milk without a license; and this license is granted only after a thorough examination of their cattle, barns, and milk-houses.

These clean methods of handling milk cost very little; they take only time and pains.
Nowadays, in the best dairies, it is required that the barns or sheds in which cows are milked shall have tight walls and roofs and good flooring; that the walls and roofs shall be kept white-washed; and the floor be cleaned and washed before each milking, so that no germs from dust or manure can float into the milk.