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57
Fourth period.—One cow was found to be affected with tuberculosis of the lungs, and was
ordered by the owner to be slaughtered; the carcase being condemned and destroyed.
The number of cases of mastitis (24), atrophy of one or more quarters of the udder (176), is slightly
less than that reported during the previous period of inspection.
In summary, it may be stated that during the year 11 samples of milk were taken by Mr. Shaw
from cows suspected to be affected with tubercular disease of the udder and submitted for bacteriological
examination. In the case of three cows, the samples taken proved to be tuberculous, negative
results being obtained in respect of eight cows.
In connection with efforts to prevent contamination of milk, the attention of sanitary authorities
has continued to be directed to the need of keeping milk vessels covered. In Holborn, a letter on this
subject was addressed to all milk vendors. Dr. Newman states that almost all milk-dealers in Finsbury
now cover their milk pans and take increased precautions as to storage, but he adds: "In many
of the little general shops which deal in milk there is still much dirt and mismanagement, and it is to
be feared that persons obtaining milk at these shops cannot often receive a pure and clean article."
Again, Dr. Davies, writing of cows and cow sheds in Woolwich, states that " some attempt at grooming
the cow is now made and the hands of the milkers are said to be washed ; in these respects,
however, there is much room for improvement, but until the sanitary authority has power to do
something more than advise, there is not likely to be much advance."
With a view to inducing cow keepers in England to adopt better measures for preventing
contamination of milk, the Board of Agriculture issued in 1905 a memorandum giving advice on
this subject. The conditions under which milk is often produced and the need for a material alteration
of the practices of dairy farmers are well known, but there is at the present time absence of adequate
administration for insisting on dairy farmers taking the precautions which are necessary.
Dr. Collingridge classified 22 samples of milk which were examined in 1905 by Dr. Klein, for the
City Corporation, as follows : clean and pure, fifteen ; unclean, five ; tubercular, two.
In St. Pancras, a churn of milk was seized at Euston Station as unfit for human food. The
churn was labelled " warranted pure new milk with all its cream and free from preservative." Di.
Sykes writes that " There was seen on the surface of this milk a quantity of floating foreign matter,
straws, little lumps of brownish matter like cow dung, hairs, and numerous black particles, giving all
the appearances of an impure and very dirty milk, unfit for human food." Samples of the milk were
taken from the top and bottom of the churn and submitted to bacteriological examination. " This
examination showed in the top samples the presence of pus cells, granular debris, and various kinds of
micro-organisms ; the deposit consisted principally of faecal material, granular debris, epithelial cells,
and pus ; and subsequently a guinea pig, inoculated with the material, developed tuberculosis."
As the result of prosecution by the Borough Council, the defendant was fined £25 and £5 5s. costs.
Only exceptionally can proceedings, as in this case, be instituted under section 47 of the Public
Health (London) Act, and powers are needed for the sampling and for the examination of milk with
a view to the determination whether the milk is fit for human consumption.
In 1905, Dr. Houston, under the instructions of the County Council, examined milk taken from
premises (a) where known precautions were taken to preserve the milk from contamination ; (b) from
milk vendors who made claim to take precautions ; and (c) from vendors who sold milk in the ordinary
way. While conditions of temperature and time were found largely to govern the number of bacilli
in the samples, the total weight of deposit was found to be in inverse proportion to the precautions
taken. Dr. Houston's report was presented to the Council and was printed and put on sale. The
Council has decided to apply to Parliament for powers which would subject to penalty vendors of
milk which is found, after examination, to be so contaminated as to be dangerous to health.

The number of slaughter-houses in each of the London sanitary areas and the frequency with
which these slaughter-houses, in some of the districts, were inspected are shown in the following table :—
11476
h