STEAM STERILISATION.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18723, 25 August 1932, Page 9

STEAM STERILISATION.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —There’s as much humbug talked about sterilisation of milking plants at in every other department of fanning. Last year I was faced with a problem that called for the killing of bacteria so I decided to put in a steam steriliser. In making enquiries into the capabilities of the various makes, I discovered that the best offering-was in the form of a jam tin giving -only 2Jlb. to 31b. of steam. Now I had just sufficient knowledge to know that to kill any kind of bacteria per medium uf steam one had to have a temperature of somewhere about 240 degrees Fahrenheit. In measuring my fourcow plant I found I had 38ft. of 2in. milk pipe alone which added to the other pipe lines gave an enormous cooling surface, which in turn meant that from a 2ilb. pressure -steriliser the first ten minutes of steaming would condense until the pipe lines were sufficiently heated to 'stop condensation. Now what happens to the condensed steam? It simply falls Into the lower portion of the pipe line, in fac-t -on the very part of the piping that carries the milk, and which one Is trying to sterilise. So now I ask you again: How can you kill or sterilise with steam anything that’s buried in water?

About .this time another machine came on the market, and although It gave only 31b 'to 41b. pressure of steam it was plain at a glance the inventor was on the right lines. The machine had a safety valve, a steam gauge, a water gauge, and a fire box separate to file water and steam container, and an electric element to give you 15 gallons of hot water without lighting the fire. Having the water hot when starting to sterilise enabled you to raise the water to steaming point with minimum waste of fuel and labour, and, as important as any was,the fact that if the coii burnt out or needed cleaning one could got at it easily. The one fault to my mind was that the pressure of steam was not sufficient; so I had them make me ope to the same pattern but giving off 151 to. pressure of steam. This machine installed, cost me 139 and they never even blushed when they put their price on. However, we now have the most up-to-date machine of its kind in New Zealand. So let us start sterilising. We start —and what Is the result? We simply have an up-to-the-minute deodoriser, which sweats the metal of impurities, but kills or purges nothing. After nine months’ experience with this machine I can confidently say that the claim to “sterilise" in any sense of the word is a farce. It simply cannot be done with Hie present type of milking machine. They were never designed to be sterilised by stfeam or have steam used on them in any way. Another thing is that the pressure of steam is not sufficient not even 151 b. What is wanted is 301 b pressure of v.hite steam that would leave the pipes perfectly dry when finished. The pipes must be in one piece and built oh the principle of a gun-harrei —enough material and sufficiently strong to support their own weight and so keep them perfectly straight, you can deodorise the metal but cannot sterilise where you have joins or a "sag’’ in the pipes. You must first clean the milking machine thoroughly the old way, before putting the steam through; organic matter simply bakes on to the pipe otherwise. As regards the rubber, it certainly “cooks” it but. not so much with 15ib. as with 211), for the metal heats up so much quicker and the steaming is finished quicker, but you must take a bucket of cold water and cool down the pipes externally immediately after. Wo never do the cups, but buy cheap light intlations that only last about six weeks and then we renew them. In regard to the milk and air rubbers. A ce.nain firm had the ideal kind of soda; it was wonderful in effect and cheap but- of foreign make, and an increase in duly'has killed it—more’s the pity. Now you ask docs it pay? Advantages: No. i, deodorises plant; and No. 2 gives an abundance of boiling water for all purposes. The other day I was in 'the llllhiost shod I have ever seen which of course includes plant. Casually 1 asked the owner “How do you get on for grade in cream?" "Superfine, nearly all Hie time," came Hie cheerful reply. So 1 wended my way home, turning over in my mind: Am 1 "Jimmy the Mug"? Does it pay? Now answer that, yourself. i rather think i am— JIMMY TUB MUG.