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
City of Westminster 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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only two or three have been kept during the year). These premises
were visited 56 times.
Milk Sho2)s.—At the end of 1907, 386 names of persons selling milk
were upon the register; 31 new names were added during 1908, and
73 removed, leaving 344 at the end of the year. 590 visits were paid.
108 milkshops were also restaurants or refreshment rooms. Hitherto,
when premises were not deemed suitable for the sale of milk it was only
by persuasion that its discontinuance was obtained. But, under the
General Powers Act, 1908, power is given to refuse to register milksellers
whose premises are not satisfactory, and to remove names from
the register under similar conditions. These powers have already been
put in force in two instances.
Notices requiring improvement of existing conditions were served in a number of instances, and proceedings were taken against milk-sellers as follows:—
| Name and Address of Defendant. | Offence. | Result. |
|---|---|---|
| Abraham Harris, 23, Meard Street | Failing to keep milkshop in a cleanly condition | Fined £1 and 10s. costs. |
| Abraham Harris, 23, Meard Street | Depositing for the purpose of sale milk unsound and un6t for the food of man | Fined £3 and 23s. costs. |
| Abraham Cohen, 54, Broad Street | Failing to keep milkshop in a cleanly condition | Fined £3 and 10s. costs. |
It transpired at the hearing of the first case that milk carmen are
allowed to take away milk which has gone sour, and that they sell it at
the rate of 3s. 6d. a churn to Jewish milk dealers, who convert it into
cheese or sell it for use in cakes, and as a medicine. The bulk of the
milk in this case had gone beyond the stage of sourness, and was in an
offensive condition. The rest of the milk contained in one churn was
sour and not putrid, but it was contaminated with dust, &c. In Eastern
countries sour or curdled milk forms an important article of diet, and
the use of lactic acid in such milk has been found of value in checking
intestinal putrefaction and fermentation. It is essential, however, in
London that such milk should be protected from contamination.
In the former of these two cases the sale of milk was given up ; in
the latter the Council removed the name from the register ; 35 applications
for registration were made, 31 were granted on the premises beingfound
or rendered suitable, and 4 were refused. Four enquiries were
made into complaints received of milk supplied in a dirty condition: in
2 instances the contamination had resulted after delivery of the milk
at the customers' houses; in both the others a considerable amount of