London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Fulham 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham Borough]
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109
During the year attention was focussed on the
possibility of danger from tubercle in milk transported
in glass-lined road tanks. These road
tanks which consist of two compartments and
hold about 1,750 gallons, collect milk from various
farms, and bring it to London.
A series of samples for bacteriological examination
and animal inoculation for the presence of tubercle
bacilli was therefore taken from a road tank on
its arrival in Fulham with the following results:
Raw Milk.
| Samples taken from : | Bacteria per c.c. | B. Coli. | Tubercle Bacilli. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front compartment of Road Tank | 198,666 | Positive in l/10th c.c. | Negative | |
| Rear do. | 178,000 | „ | „ | |
The milk was then strained, clarified and
pasteurised in accordance with the conditions set
out in the Milk (Special Designations) Order, i.e.,
held at a temperature of 145° F. for 30 minutes
and cooled to 40° F. and further samples taken
as follows:—
Pastuerised Milk.
| Sample taken from: | Bacteria per c.c. | B. Coli. | Tubercle Bacilli. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooler end of Pasteurising Plant | 660 | Negative | Negative | |
| do. | 12,666 | „ | ||
| Exit of Glass-lined storage tank | 8,733 | „ | „ | |
| do. | 7,866 | „ | „ | |
The reduction in the number of bacteria per
c.c. after Pasteurisation goes to prove that the
process, when properly carried out, is a safeguard
against infected milk.