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82
MILKSHOP INSPECTION.
In the inspection of Milkshops special attention has been
given during the year as to the steps taken or failing to be taken
to prevent contamination of the milk from dirt, dust or flies. It
is not generally recognised by milk sellers that during the hot
weather milk exposed for sale is liable to be contaminated from
its exposure to the dust and dirt of the shop, and great surprise
is often expressed when their attention is called to this fact.
This applies also to the milk which stands in the churns in the
dairy previous to its being strained prior to delivery to customers.
The milkman generally deems that his duty has been discharged
if he strains the milk through a muslin strainer. By this means
he intercepts the grosser impurities, but utterly fails to free the
milk from the more dangerous contaminations, such as germs,
which he invites by his careless exposure of the milk.
Out of a total of 368 visits, in 232 cases attempts were made
to protect the milk in the storage vessels, the usual practice
being to strain a muslin cloth over a frame. The only attempt in
many cases was to improvise a cover of an ordinary newspaper,
and in 136 cases no protection of any kind was attempted.
The provision made for the cleansing of milk vessels and
utensils was also dealt with. In 13 instances either a steam
apparatus or a special boiler is used for heating water for
cleansing or sterilizing purposes. In 25 instances a special
copper is used for boiling water. In 43 instances the ordinary
domestic copper is used, this also doing duty for the washing of
clothes, and in 40 instances the ordinary kettle is brought into
use. Many of these dairies are general shops where only a
small quantity of milk is sold, and where it is not infrequently
the case that other articles, such as paraffin oil, soap, chandlery,