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75
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF MILK
The production and sale of graded milks are controlled by the Milk (Special Designations)
Order, 1936, the six designations being as follows:—
Designation. Bacteriological Standard.
1. Tuberculin Tested Milk (Certified) This milk must not decolorise methylene blue within
2. Tuberculin Tested Milk 4½ hours if the sample is taken between 1st May and
3. Accredited Milk 31st October, or within 5½ hours if taken between 1st
4. Accredited Milk (Farm bottled) November and 30th April. It must not contain
B.coli in 1/100th millilitre.
5. Tuberculin Tested Milk (Pasteurised) Must not contain more than 30,000 bacteria per millilitre.
6. Pasteurised Must not contain more than 100,000 bacteria per millilitre.
During 1938, 108 samples of graded milk, 31 of ungraded milk and 2 of raw milk were purchased
by the Sampling Officer for bacteriological examination. Forty of the samples were purchased from
milk roundsmen in the streets in the early hours of the morning and 46 were taken at the early morning
delivery to the hospitals, etc., in the Borough which are under the control of the London County
Council.
Of the total of 141 samples examined, 32 were specially tested by animal inoculation for the
presence of tubercle bacilli under Section 5 of the Milk and Dairies (Amendment) Act, 1922.
One sample of pasteurised milk, taken in course of delivery to the Western Fever Hospital,
was reported to contain tubercle bacilli and the facts were communicated to the Medical Officer of
Health for the County in which the creamery supplying the milk is situated.
Further samples taken from the same source have proved satisfactory.

Tuberculin Tested Milk (Certified). This is the highest grade of designated milks and is the
product of tuberculin-tested herds, the word " Certified" signifying that the milk was bottled at the
farm. During the year two samples were examined, both of which were reported to comply with the
prescribed standards.