London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Holborn 1923
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health, for the year 1923
This page requires JavaScript
22
granted for the sale of Grade A milk and Pasteurised milk. A number of minor
alterations have been made with a view to removing doubts raised as to the proper
interpretation of the former Order.
During the year 1923, licences available up to the 31st December, 1923, for the sale of "designated" milk in the Borough were issued as follows:—
| Certified Milk | 3 |
| Grade A Milk | 2 |
| Supplementary Certified (Supplementary) | 1 |
| Grade A (Tuberculin Tested) (Supplementary) | 1 |
Up to the date of the preparation of this Report licences for the year 1924 have been issued as follows:—
| Certified Milk | 3 |
| Grade A (Tuberculin Tested) Milk | 1 |
The value of the Order lies to a considerable extent in its educational effects;
the existence of such arrangements shows milk producers that clean milk can be
produced on farms (if they like they can learn how to produce clean milk themselves)
and that medical opinion has been able to convince the representatives of the public
of the importance of keeping milk as free as possible from bacteria and above all from
tubercle bacilli.
Public Health (Milk and Cream) Regulations, 1912 and 1917.
The Public Health (Milk and Cream) Regulations, 1912-1917, were enforced in the
Borough throughout the year.
Two hundred and eight samples of milk were examined; none was found to contain
preservative, 19 samples of cream were examined 3 of which were found to contain
preservative, viz., boric acid to the extent of 0.223, 0.272 and 0.272 per cent. by weight
respectively. Communications were in each case sent to the vendor, and in one the
vendor was interviewed by the Public Health Committee; the explanations submitted
were considered to be satisfactory, and no further action was taken.
Eighteen samples of preserved cream were examined and found to be in
accordance with the Regulations, the statement on the labels as to the amount of
preservative being in each case correct. In all the samples of preserved cream the fat
exceeded 35 per cent. No contravention of the Regulations, other than those
mentioned above, was discovered during the year.
Condensed Milk.
The Public Health (Condensed Milk) Regulations, 1923, came into operation on
the 1st November, 1923.
The Regulations provide that condensed milk is to be contained in a tin or
receptacle labelled in accordance with the rules detailed in a schedule of the Order.
The label is to include a declaration that the contents of the tin are the equivalent of
a definite quantity of milk to be stated on the label in pints or fractions of pints.
Machine skimmed condensed milk is to be labelled "unfit for babies."