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Having discovered a dirty or infected milk, all possible action is taken to
improve the retail conditions, and to prevent contamination in the shop or on the
round; but in most cases it is impracticable to supplement this with effective action
to deal with the milk at the place of production, because the place of production
cannot be ascertained, owing to the practice of collecting milk from many farms
to large creameries and milk depots where the milks are mixed and pasteurised
before distribution to the retailers.
As mentioned above three samples in 1926 showed evidence of tuberculous
infection.
In the first of these the vendor Company stated that the milk undoubtedly
came from one of the Company's farms, but, as it was cooled and mixed at their
refrigerating depot in the country and again mixed and cooled before being put into
cold store, it was impossible to tell from which farm the actual sample came. The
facts connected with the purchase and examination of this sample were furnished
to the Medical Officer of Health of the County where the vendor's farms are
situated. Subsequently information was received from this County Medical Officer
of Health that samples of milk from ten farms supplying the Holborn Dairy had
been examined; four were found to contain acid fast bacilli indistinguishable
microscopically from tubercle bacilli. In respect of the four farms from which
the positive samples were obtained the veterinary surgeon reported that he
examined all the cows and, with one exception, found them free from clinical
symptoms of tuberculosis, including tuberculosis of the udder. The one cow
referred to was reported on as follows:— "This cow is sound in udder, but may
be tuberculous and should be removed. This cow has been isolated for some time."
In the second case the Holborn retailer obtained the milk from a large
wholesale Company. In reply to enquiries this Company stated that it was
impossible to tell where the particular milk came from, but thought it might have
been taken "direct from the station without pasteurising" contrary to their
regulations.
In the third case also the retailer obtained the milk from a large wholesale
dealer, who, in turn, obtained supplies from provincial wholesale milk, cream and
butter merchants. In this case it was possible to ascertain the creamery, but not
the farm, from which the milk came. Milk was received at this creamery from
38 farms. In co-operation with the County Medical Officer of Health, the wholesalers
arranged for all the herds on these farms to be examined by the County
Veterinary Surgeon. As a result it appeared that at all farms but two the herds
were found in good condition and free from infectious and contagious diseases.
At one of the two exceptions, however, a cow was ordered to be turned out of the
dairy, and at the other a cow was reported under the Tuberculosis Order.
It will thus be seen that, as in previous years, the action taken by the Council,
loading to the discovery of infected milk, is largely stultified by the modern
practice of mixing milk at large creameries, often rendering it impossible to trace
a milk supply to the place of production. The remedy would seem to be in the
direction of sufficient examination of milk as it enters the large creameries and