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general shops abound the summer diarrhoea of infants, which is
so fatal during the third quarter of the year, is so prevalent. The
remedy for this state of things is to prevent the sale of milk
in premises which are considered unsuitable by the sanitary
authority for any reason.
'I he fourth source of pollution to which milk is exposed
is in the house of the consumer. The extent to which this
occurs is largely a matter for conjecture, but that it does occur,
especially in the homes of the poorer classes of the community,
to a considerable extent there is little doubt. It should be
remembered, however, in this connection, that the milk, when
it is purchased, is frequently in a condition to become rapidly
contaminated when kept in crowded or dirty rooms. The proper
storage and prevention from contamination of milk in the
home is largely a matter of opportunity and education
; and the Council's health visitor has devoted
a good deal of attention to the instruction of the
mothers in the best methods of protecting food from
contamination, and there is evidence that this has been attended
with considerable success. Owing to the lack of proper food
cupboards, it is not always an easy matter to carry out the
instruction that is given.
The London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907,
contains provisions for the prevention of tuberculous milk
entering the Metropolis. These only aim at this aspect of the
problem, but constitute a distinct advance in the efforts that are
being made for the protection of the milk supply of London.
It is to be hoped that Parliament will deal with the entire
question, as has been promised, during 1908. Until this is
done it will be hopeless to expect that sanitary authorities in
the Metropolis can adequately safeguard this most important
article of food from deleterious influences, which, to a large
extent, arise before its arrival in their districts.
Fish Shops.
There are 67 of these premises in Battersea. In 47 of