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
St Pancras 1906
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, London, Borough of]
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On November 7th and 8tli a second series of samples were taken at the same
cowshed with reasonable precautions for securing cleanliness.
That is to say in each case (1) the cow was groomed; (2) the udder was
sponged over and dried with a clean cloth; (3) an open shed or part of the
yard was washed down in preparation as a milking-place; (4) the cow was
taken from the cowshed to the clean open milkiug-place, and a clean white
loin cloth thrown over her, especially so as to cover the hollow of the flank
where the head of the milker would rest; (5) the milker washed his hands and
fore-arms in soap and water, put on a clean white smock, and a clean white
cap, he was then asked to do as was done when taking the previous batch of
samples without these precautions, namely, to draw half a-pint of milk directly
from the teats into the sterilised bottle, after two or three strains had been
drawn from the teat on to the ground so as to get rid of any organisms in the
outlet or ducts of the teats. The samples were immediately packed in ice as
before and sent straight away to the bacteriological laboratory when the
examination was immediately commenced. The result of this examination
was as follows :—
Cowshed Milk—Second Series. November 7th and 8th, 1906.
| Cowshed. | Volume of apparent filth per million. | Nature of filth. | The degree of acidity per cent. | Number of living micro-organisms per c. c. on gelatine at 20 deg. c. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Less than 10 | Neither pus cells, tubercle baecilli, nor streptococci could be detected. | .248 | About 3,000 |
| B | No sample was taken at this cowshed, as there was no clean shed or yard available as a milking-place. | |||
| C | Less than 10 | Neither pus cells, tubercle baccilli, nor streptococci present. | .256 | About 3,000 |
| 10 | A few pus cells were present, but neither tubercle bacilli nor streptococci could be detected. | .172 | 1,000,000,000 |
The large number of organisms found in the last sample D of the second
series of cowshed milk was due to the condition of the cow produced by the
clumsy rough manner in which she was treated, and to the uses to which the
milker put his clean hands in patting the cow, rubbing the flanks, kneading
the udder, wiping the buttocks, so that his hands must have again become much
•contaminated before and during milking.