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No. 4.—The Medical Officer of Health for this district also
visited the farm concerned, accompanied by a veterinary surgeon,
and examined the cows. His report indicated that the cows were
of a good class and to all appearance free from tuberculosis, and
that this farm was one of the best equipped and conducted dairy
farms in the county. Further investigations by him revealed the
fact that the farmer in question received from time to time milk
from other farms which was mixed with the milk produced on
his own farm. The Medical Officer of Health for the district was
unable to ascertain definitely how tuberculosis came to be present
in the milk, but suggested the possibility of the milk from outside
farms as the cause, and it was ultimately arranged that the farmer
would discontinue the practice of mixing other milks with that
produced on his farm.
Repeat samples of the milk from this farm and the farm
referred to under No. 3 were obtained and submitted for examination,
but no evidence of tuberculosis was found.
No. 5.
This farm was visited by the veterinary surgeon and twentythree
cows examined. With the exception of one or two aged
cows, they were all first-class dairy cattle, none of them showed
any abnormal symptoms, and the housing accommodation was on
modern principles.
Four samples were obtained from the milk of the aged cows,
as in the circumstances they were most likely to be tuberculous.
The examination of these samples, however, failed to reveal
any evidence of tuberculosis, and further samples obtained on
delivery were also examined with a negative result.
There had been no actual changes in the herd at this farm,
but certain in-calf cows had been removed to another farm as
they were "dry." In the ordinary course these cows will return
to the dairy farm, and the examination of further samples of this
milk may yet enable a more conclusive result to be obtained.