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107
and 50 both watered and deprived of fat.* It is, therefore, evident
that in London, and particularly in Finsbury, a not inconsiderable
amount of watering of milk is going on. For it must be remembered
that it is but a very small fraction of the actual adulteration
taking place which is detected by the Local Authority.
(a) The Bacteriological Examination of Finsbury Milk.—As
already pointed out, the sources of pollution of milk by bacteria
are fourfold, namely—(1) at the farm; (2) during transit to
the milkshop ; (3) after arrival at the milkshop ; and (4) in the
home of the consumer. It was Tyndall who first pointed out,
in 1878, that dust particles acted as "rafts" for carrying
micro-organisms, and since that date abundant and indisputable
evidence has been obtained in support of his view. Wherever and
whenever dust and dirt obtain access to milk, bacteria also obtain access.
Therefore, a large number of bacteria in milk will indicate,
other things being equal, a large degree of dust pollution ; a small
number of bacteria, under similar circumstances, will indicate a
small degree of contamination. But we may go a step further and
learn, if possible, the kind of micro-organisms present in milk,
where they have come from, and what action they are having upon
° " The average percentage of the added water reported to have been
found in the 668 watered samples was 10.1, while the average percentage
of fat removed from the 434 creamed samples was 16.8. In a memorial
recently addressed to us by the Dairy Trade and Can Protection Society
it is stated that the quantity of milk received in the London area from
outside is approximately 144,000 imperial gallons a day. If this is correct,
and if we assume that the samples taken for analysis in the metropolis in
1901 correctly represent the quality of this outside milk supply, it seems
that Londoners pay, at 4d. per quart, at least £30,000 per annum for water
which has been added to the milk supplied to them."—Thirty-first Annual
Report of Local Government Board, 1901-1902.
§ This point becomes clear when it is seen that 500,000 barn gallons of
milk (one year's sale in Finsbury) are equal to 8 million pints. But 269
samples (analysed in 1902) equal 134 pints. Hence only 134 pints out of
8 million pints have been analysed. It should be understood, moreover,
that the 8 million pints is, if anything, an under estimate. In actual cost
to the consumer, this amount of milk (500,000 barn gallons or 8 million
pints), at the ordinary market price, works out at £67,000 per annum.