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whole population should also be pure, for, as the Ministry of Health
state in their "Pamphlet in regard to the use of Milk":—
"Milk is essential to the healthy growth of infants and
children; it is often the most important article of diet in sickness.
It is therefore necessary that there should be a sufficient supply of
good milk at a reasonable cost for all who require it."
Yet milk often contains considerable dirt which has got into it from
dirty conditions at the farm, in the dairy, on the railway, or in the
street when delivered to the customer. If it were fully realised how
easily milk may be contaminated and spread diseases such as infantile
diarrhoea, typhoid fever, scarlet fever, and diphtheria ; and how persons
may develop tuberculosis as a result of drinking infected milk, it is
probable that far more consideration would be given to the subject, and
that the general public would demand that all milk should conform to a
standard as high as that now prescribed for "Grade A Milk."
The County Council's Veterinary Inspector, when examining cows
at farms outside the County, sometimes finds tuberculous animals in the
herds ; and despite all efforts that are made to prevent it occurring,
milk infected with the tubercle bacillus is still being sent to London.
Bacteriological and Chemical Analysis of Milk Samples.
The Public Health Committee having decided that samples of
the milk supply of the Borough should be specially analysed bacteriologically
and chemically, in addition to the routine sampling of milk
that is carried out; five samples were taken, one each at Cricklewood
Heath Street, West End Lane, South End Road, and Adamson Road.
Details of these 5 samples are as follows:—
Sample No. 1, 12th February.—Sample taken at Cricklewood;
milk arrived at Willesden Green Station about 9.45 a.m. from a
farmer of Finmere; morning's milk; churn 16, lid 48. Contents
of churn: 8 barn gallons; sample, 1 quart.
Chemical Examination.— Specific gravity at 60° F. 1030.9;
total solids, 11.98 per cent.; fat, 3.42 percent.; solids not fat, 8.55
percent.; ash, 0.71 per cent.; boric acid and formaldehyde absent.
No evidence of tuberculosis, sample of satisfactory quality.