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farms from which the milks in these cases were obtained; they replied that milk is received
by them from a very large number of farms from which it is conveyed to their mixing and
pasteurising depots. It was thus found, as in previous years, that owing to the practice of
iistiibutiug milk from large mixing depits it becomes impossible to 1 trace the actual source
of supply of the infected milk as supplied to the consumer. The wholesalers, however,
confirmed the statements made by their retail customers, that the milk as supplied had been
pasteurised. They suggested, and subsequently produced evidence, that retailers from time
to time supplement short supplies from any convenient source which may be available.
Enquiry amongst retailers confirms this view and renders more difficult any attempt to trace
infected milk to the actual source of production. There would appear to be justification for
believing that the increased practice of mixing large quantities of milk from many sources
i.i likely to produce an increased incidence of tuberculous infected milk, a single tuberculous
cow being possibly the source of infection of a large quantity of milk.
When samples taken in areas such as Holborn disclose 5 out of 25 with
tuberculous infection there would be ample evidence that notwithstanding the
practice of pasteurising increasingly used in the larger mixing depots, milk as it
actually reaches the consumer in large towns is liable to be infected. The evidence
repeated and confirmed in successive years seems to point to the necessity for
some more stringent control at the source of supply and particularly at the mixing
depots. It would seem that only in this way can any material advances in the
production of clean and nou-infected milk be hoped for. The experiments which
are being made to get a milk supply free from tubercle bacillus by breeding from
immune cows, are being watched with great interest.
Milk and Dairies Order, 1926.
Some difficulty is experienced in securing strict compliance with the provisions
of the above Order, so far as the cleansing of vessels and appliances is concerned.
The Order provides for every vessel, lid and appliance to be thoroughly washed
as soon as may be after use and to be cleansed and scalded with boiling water or
steam before its use again. The cost of providing proper steain chests is such that
the small retail milk seller is not willing to comply with a suggestion that this
course should be taken. In shops where there is only a counter trade probably the
vendors cannot reasonably be expected to buy a relatively expensive steam
chest, but in milk businesses where there is a round entailing the use of cans or
bottles it is essential for strict compliance with the Order that proper plant should
be installed.
The Mill; (8/iecial Dcsiiinaliuns) Order, 1923.