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140
destroy the milk, it being found to be unwholesome and unfit for the food of
man; subsequently proceedings were taken against the farmer sending the milk,
and he was fined £25 and £5 5s. costs. The above case was the first ever taken
under the before-mentioned Act, and it being well reported resulted in a great
improvement as to the cleanliness of milk sent to London. I have examined
some hundreds of churns of milk since but have not found any in such a dirty
condition as to warrant me making a seizure.
Manipulation of Milk at Railwy Stations.—It being part of my duties as
Food Inspector to meet the trains bringing milk into London at the railway
station in my divisions, I have given, during the past year, special attention to
trains arriving at the Euston Station of the L. & N.-W. Railway.
As the trains arrive there are a number of porters who at once set to work
to put the churns on to the platform; sometimes the carmen of the consignees
are there waiting, at other times the churns are left on the platform for hours
unprotected, neither locked nor sealed; when the men are waiting for the
arrival they at once examine the churns, and as a rule remove the labels therefrom,
and frequently take milk from one churn and put it into another
not necessarily sent from the same consignor. I have been told it is
to make up the quantities they have to deliver direct to their customers;
and I have also seen the foreman of large milk dealers examine the churns
consigned to them, go over the churns and take some of the top milk from each,
then go over them again and carefully fill up to a certain measure. I do not
know what they use for filling up to the requisite measure.
It is also a practice to bring emply churns when they meet the milk trains.
I have frequently noticed that one or more churns have been left on the vans,
and on several occasions I have removed the lids off those churns and have
seen some white liquid in them. I have always been suspicious of that liquid.
I have watched and found when the fresh milk has arrived that this liquid has
been mixed with the fresh milk or the fresh milk put into the churns with the
liquid, and I have also seen separated milk mixed with fresh arrival milk.
Warranties.—With large milk dealers it is often a practice for their foremen
to mix different farmers' milks on the platform and serve it direct to their
customers from the station; yet if a sample is taken and found adulterated
they are always ready to swear it is a certain farmer's milk and produce his
warranty, while it is impossible for an Inspector to refute the same; neither can
a prosecution be taken for adulteration or mixing at the stations, as the sample
must be taken at the places of delivery, which are mostly outside the Borough
where the milk is consigned to.
Legal Proceedings.—I have attended the Police Court 46 times in connection
with my duties as Prosecuting Food Inspector, a decrease of four as compared
with the year 1904.
I am, Sir, yours obediently,
J. Osborne.
Meat and Food Inspector.