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78
At a meeting of the Vestry on the 12th April it was decided,
that in view of the danger attending the use of milk derived from
tuberculous cows, the Government be requested to take such
measures as may be necessary to stamp out tuberculosis from
the cattle of this country, and that such administration as may
be necessary for the purpose, should be exercised by the Board
of Agriculture ; also that the Local Government Board be urged
to require Local Sanitary Authorities to enforce the Dairies,
Cowsheds and Milkshops Order dealing with the cleanliness,
ventilation and good ordering of Dairies, Cowsheds and Milkshops.
On the 27th September a similar recommendation of the
Health Committee was adopted to memorialise the Board of
Agriculture to introduce a Bill into Parliament to give effect to
the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Tuberculosis.
Bacterio
logical Examination
of
Milk.
With a view to ascertaining the extent to which
milk purveyed in the Parish is infected with tubercule
baccili, the Health Committee submitted a
mendation to the Vestry on the nth October, that twenty-five
samples of milk be taken and sent to the Jenner Institute of
Preventive Medicine for bacteriological examination. This
recommendation was adopted "upon condition that no experiments
be performed on living animals." At the following meeting of
the Vestry a letter was submitted from Dr. A. Macfadyen,
Director of the Institute, to the effect that the animal experiment
is the only test available for ascertaining the presence of tubercle
baccili in milk, and that the Institute could not therefore accept
the proposed investigation on the lines laid down by the Vestry.
DISINFECTION.
During the year, disinfection by fumigation was carried out
in 1,666 premises, principally by the agency of sulphurous acid
gas; after virulent cases a proportion of perchloride of mercury is
added to the sulphur in burning, and in other cases where sulphur
would be liable to injure metal-work or fabrics, formalin is used.