London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1908
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1908
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171
Milk Shops.
The milk supply of Battersea has, as in past years, been
carefully supervised during- 1908. This is one of the most
important duties of a Sanitary Authority, associated as it is
with the question of infantile mortality, and in Battersea strict
supervision and systematic inspection of all premises in which
it is sold is carried out.
The number of registered milk-shops in Battersea, at the
end of 1907, was 254. During 1908 39 new milk-shops were
added and 52, which had discontinued, were removed from the
register; the total number at the end of the year being 241.
The character of the business carried on in premises in which milk is sold in Battersea was as follows :—
| Dairy produce only | 70 |
| General shops | 131 |
| Confectioners | 13 |
| Dwelling-houses | 22 |
| Wholesale | 5 |
| Total | 241 - |
As showing the number of hands through which the milk
passes before it reaches the consumer, of the 241 registered milkpurveyors,
142 obtain their supply through milk contractors,
71 are supplied from retail shops in the Borough, and 9 from
retail shops outside the Borough. In only 17 instances does
the milk vendor obtain his supply direct from the farmer.
The quantity of milk sold per day by these 241 milk vendors
is as follows : —
52 (i.e., 21.5 per cent.) sell less than one gallon.
106 (i.e., 43.9 per cent.) sell from one to ten gallons.
83 (i.e., 34.4 per cent.) sell over ten gallons.
A register in the form of a card index is kept of all dairies
and milkshops in the Borough, containing full particulars as to
nature of business, sanitation, etc.