It is interesting to note that the bacteria found in the udder are similar to those that seem to be most abundant in such glandular tissues as the liver and spleen. This fact increases the probability that these comparatively inert coccus forms of the udder may originate directly from the blood stream. The organisms that normally are found in the udder exert no harmful effects on the gland. It might be thought that due to the presence of abundant food and a favorable temperature that growth would be abundant, but such is not the case. At times the udder may be invaded by forms that are not held in check by the natural factors and an inflammation of the udder is likely to result. =Germicidal property of milk.= It has been claimed that freshly drawn milk, like other body fluids, possesses germicidal properties, _i.e._, the power of destroying bacteria with which it may be brought in contact. If milk is carefully examined bacteriologically, hour by hour, after it is withdrawn from the udder, it will generally be found that there is at first not only no increase in number of organisms during a longer or shorter period when it is kept at temperatures varying from 40° to 70° F., but that an actual reduction not infrequently takes place. When cultures of bacteria, such as _B. prodigiosus_, a red organism, lactic acid organisms, and even the yellow, liquefying coccus, so commonly found in the fore-milk, are artificially introduced into the udder, it has been found that no growth occurs and that in the course of a few days the introduced organisms actually disappear. Whether this failure to colonize can be regarded as evidence of a germicidal property or not is questionable. In fact, this question is a matter of but little practical importance in the handling of milk since, under the best of conditions, the keeping quality of the milk is not materially enhanced. It may be of importance in inhibiting growth in the udder. =Rejection of fore-milk.= The fact that the fore-milk contains per cubic centimeter so much more germ life than the remainder of the milk has led some to advocate its rejection when a sanitary milk supply is under consideration. While from a purely quantitative point of view, this custom may be considered advantageous, in practice, however, it is hardly worth while since it is not at all certain that the rejection will have any effect on the keeping quality or healthfulness of milk. This is especially true if the ends of the teats are thoroughly cleaned before milking. It is true that the fore-milk is relatively deficient in fat so that the loss of butter fat occasioned by the rejection of the first few streams is comparatively slight.