London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kensington 1929

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]

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59
In this connection, it should be mentioned that the Council have resolved that the presence
upon any premises of such articles as (1) paraffin, (2) loose pickles, (3) vinegar (except in sealed
bottles), (4) meat of all forms (except when in sealed tins or glass), (5) fruit, (6) vegetables, (7)
coal and coke, and (8) wood (except in bundles, provided the same be not kept in the milk store)
would constitute a source of contamination rendering the said premises unsuitable for the sale of
milk ; and the registration of persons entitled to carry on the trade of purveyor of milk in
Kensington is subject to compliance with the resolution.
In one case where there had been several convictions under the Food and Drugs Acts, the
Public Health Committee considered the question of removing the retailer's name from the Register
of Dairymen, but decided to postpone immediate action. Two samples of milk were taken from
the same retailer shortly after this decision and were found to be adulterated. In January, 1930,
the Council removed this dairyman's name from the Register.

A summary of the alterations made in the Register during the year 1929 and the number of persons and dairies registered at the end of the year is shown in the following table :—

Purveyors of milk in sealed bottles.Dairymen.Dairies and Milkshops.
Transfers1212
Added to Register454
Vacated and removed from Register
Dairymen with premises outside the Borough added to Register---
On Register January 1st, 192929154149
On Register December 31st, 192933159153
(+) Increase. (—) Decrease+ 4+5+4

The total number of inspections of dairies and milkshops in the Borough during the year
1929 was 731.
Special attention has been given to enforce Article 31 of the Order which requires that
bottling of milk shall be carried out on registered premises. In the past, it has been frequently
observed that milk roundsmen have left their depots in the morning with fewer bottles on their
barrows than they had customers, with the inevitable result that towards the end of their rounds
some customers must be supplied with milk from bottles which had been taken by the roundsmen
from houses earlier the same day. It will be appreciated that many of these bottles would be
dirty and that in certain instances this practice might result in serious danger to health.
During the year 1929, proceedings were taken in respect of milk being bottled in streets in
five cases. In two cases, a fine of £2 was imposed, in two a fine of £1 was imposed, and in one a
fine of 10s.
Milk (Special Designations) Order, 1923.—Under the Order the Council are authorised to grant
licences to persons other than a producer to sell milk under special designations. Every licence
granted is valid for a period ending on the 31st day of December in the year in respect of which
it is granted. The Order lays down a schedule of fees to be paid by applicants for licences.
The licences granted in 1929 were as follow :—
(a) Dealers'licences to use the designation " Certified Milk " 20
(b) Dealers' licences to use the designation " Grade A (Tuberculin
Tested) Milk" 22
(c) Dealers'licences to use the designation " Pasteurised Milk " 35
In each case the licence has been granted for the purpose of authorising the dealer to sell
specially designated milk from shops within the Borough. No application has been made for a
licence to set up a pasteurising establishment within the Borough.
During the year, six samples of " Certified Milk," four of " Grade A (Tuberculin Tested) Milk,"
and twenty-three of " Pasteurised Milk " were taken for the purpose of ascertaining whether
they complied with the bacteriological standards laid down in the Milk (Special Designations)
Order, which are as follow :—
Special Class of Milk.
Maximum number of
bacteria permitted per c.c.
Standard for bacillus coli.
"Certified Milk" 30,000 Must not be found in
tenth c.c.
"Grade A. (Tuberculin Tested) Milk" 200,000 Must not be found in
hundredth c.c.
" Pasteurised Milk" 100,000 No standard provided.