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food supervision. 71
During the autumn of last year an incomplete return of the cowhouses and cows standing
within the Metropolis in 1850-57 has been found. The paper is one of the earliest documents
issued by the Metropolitan Association of Medical Officers of Health, founded in May, 1856.
The return embodies replies received from 35 out of 49 sanitary districts, then constituting
the Metropolis. In those 35 districts there were—
846 cowhouses, comprising 1,154 cowsheds, and accommodating 11,818 cows.
The numbers of cows at the different establishments are summarised as—
277 having 1— 5 cows. 99 having 21— 50 cows.
256 „ 6—10 „ 18 „ 51—100 „
173 „ 11—20 „ 9 „ Over 100.
14—no numbers stated.
In 10 " cowhouses and sheds " the cubic space per cow was under 200 cubic feet.
56 „ „ „ „ „ 200—300 ,,
142 „ „ „ „ „ 300—400 ,,
164 „ „ ,, „ „ 400—500 ,,
150 „ „ „ „ „ 500—600
ranging thence up to
169 „ „ „ over 1,000 „
There were in Paddington at that date—
25 cowhouses, comprising 36 cowsheds, and accommodating 368 cows.
The numbers of cows in the various establishments were—
From 1— 5 cows 5 establishments.
„ 6— 10 ,, 8 ,,
„ 11— 20 „ 6
„ 21— 50 „ 5
„ 51—100 „ 1
There are no further details of the local establishments. The reduction in the number of
cows which has taken place during the half-century—viz., from 308 to 4—is worthy of record.
Whether the change has been altogether advantageous is a question on which different
opinions may well be held, and cannot be discussed here.
Dairies and Milkshops—At the close of 1904, 174 names of milk-vendors were on the
Register. During the year 3 new entries were made, 11 names removed, and 23 changed—
leaving 166 entries effective at the close of the year. There appears to be a tendency to a
reduction in the number of milk-vendors, the numbers on the Register at the close of each
year being lower. The character of the premises on which milk is sold is sufficiently
indicated below :—
Dairies: milk, eggs and butter only 86
„ wholesale depots 4
Grocers' shops 6
General shops, selling oil 31
„ not „ 23
Sweet-stuff and confectionery 5
Provisions and Bakers 2 (each)
Fish and grocery 2
Off-licensed premises, Butcher's shop 1 (each)
Coal, wood and oil (combined) 3
The above premises were visited on 231 occasions in all. One case each of erysipelas
and scarlet fever and 3 cases of diphtheria were reported from premises on which milk was
sold; 2 milk-carriers had scarlet fever; 2 cases of the same disease occurred in families of
milk-carriers; and 1 case of small-pox in a house where a milk-carrier resided. All necessary
precautions were taken.