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36
Add to these considerations the fact that the high infant
mortality is largely due to contaminated milk produced under
insanitary conditions. Then again consider the danger of
tuberculous diseases being transmitted, especially to infants, by
the consumption of milk taken from cows affected by the
disease. Finally the milk is often reduced in quality by the
addition of water, or unsweetened condensed milk and water,
and also by the addition of chemicals as preservatives.
This Borough differs from any other London Borough in
having a large number of farms within its area, and this is a
great advantage to a portion of the residents. The supply,
however, from this source forms only a very small proportion of
the milk consumed. The bulk is obtained from farms situated
in various parts of Berkshire, Dorset, Kent, Somerset, Surrey,
Sussex, and Wiltshire; in all 108 farms in different parts of the
country send milk into the Borough. In addition, 13 wholesale
dealers send supplies, the original source of which is unknown.
Thus the bulk of the milk supplied to the Borough is produced
on farms some distance away, where it may be contaminated,
perhaps by carelessness, or for the want of sufficient supervision,
or more usually complete absence of supervision by the
Authorities (the rural authorities in whose district the farms are
situated) entrusted with the duty. Again in the delivery
by railway, there are further chances of pollution. The
milk subsequently reaches the wholesale dealer, where it is again
manipulated, and finally the retailer; by this time its condition
is often greatly altered.
The legislative measures adopted for safe-guarding the
public in relation to the conditions under which milk may be
supplied are contained in the Dairies, Cowsheds and Milkshops
Orders, 1885-1899, and have proved wholly insufficient; in many
districts they are a dead letter.