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102
reasons. The total number left on the register was 263. Of
these 223 are milkshops, as distinguished from dairies, and sell
milk at a farthing's worth or a halfpennyworth at a time, in
this way disposing of 3 or 4 quarts per day.
These milkshops, which are usually also small general or grocery
shops, were inspected on 224 occasions and 47 notices served for
various sanitary defects.
The conditions under which milk is sold in these small shops,
stuffy, overcrowded, dusty and slatternly, is not fully satisfactory.
The stock may often include articles like dripping, meat, fish,
pickles, vinegar, vegetables, oil, paraffin, matches, candles, boot
blacking, coal, coke, soap, firewood or bath brick, which may be
so placed as to possibly contaminate the milk.
The proprietor is sometimes unclean in person, the utensils
dilapidated and difficult to keep clean, and the milk is stored under
improper conditions.
This state of affairs is discovered at revisits after registration.
Did they occur at the first visit, registration would be refused.
The shops sell milk for two reasons: on the one hand because
it is usual for buyers of general grocery to wish to purchase it
with their tea, coffee, sugar or bread, and on the other hand
because the proprietors of these small shops are harassed by small
importunate middlemen to help them to dispose of their surplus
milk.
The statutory and other powers which deal with milk shops
are derived from The Dairies, Cowsheds and Milkshops Order,
Section 6, and the London County Council (General Powers) Act,
1908, Sections 5 and 8.
In practice in Finsbury it is usual before registration to insist
that the premises shall be suitable, that the conditions of trading
shall be such as to render the milk not liable to contamination,