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103
§ 2-UNWHOLESOME POOD.
Nursery Milk.—In October I reported to the Public Health Committee as
follows:—
On the 25th July, 1906, the Borough Council approved the recommendation
of the Public Health Committee that during the hot weather 30
samples of milk intended for hand-fed infants of suckling age be examined
bacteriologically.
On the 12th September and the 12th December I furnished reports to your
Committee as to the result of the sampling and examination of nursery milk,
which reports were presented to the Council on the 19th December, 1906, and
they were also quoted in my Annual Report for the year 1906.
On the 21st November, 1906, the Borouga Council, upon the recommendation
of your Committee, confirmed the previous recommendation and resolved
that the taking of 30 samples of milk during the hot weather for bacteriological
examination be continued. Accordingly, during the warm weather of
this summer the same procedure was adopted in taking the samples as was
described in my report of the 12th September, 1906. The results of the
sampling and examinations arc contained in a tabulated form in the appendices
attached hereto.
These tables show (a) the price and source of the samples of nursery milk
purchased, (b) the results of the bacteriological examination of the samples,
(c) the results of the chemical examination, and (d) the results of further
sampling and analysis under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts of the unsatisfactory
samples in table c.
Among the 30 samples first taken, and numbered consecutively 1 to 30 in
the tables, two numbered 17 (a 47) and 18 (a 48) were found to be tuberculous,
and repeat samples were taken of these, numbered respectively
31 (a 55) and 32 (a 56), in which tubercle bacilli were not found microscopically,
but the result of inoculation into guinea pigs showed at the end of
eight weeks that in the case of 31 (a 55) the spleen was histologically tuberculous
in structure although no tubercle bacilli (acidfast) were found, and that
in the case of 32 (a 56) the spleen presented numerous small tubercles on the
surface and a few tubercle bacilli were detected in preparations of the spleen
and other glands. The slaughtered cows showed, in the case of 31 (a 55),
corresponding to 17 (a 47), lesions only in the udder of small extent, and in
the case of 32 (a 56), corresponding to 18 (a 48), lesions in the udder and
several of the glands throughout the carcass. I reported upon these tuberculous
milks to your Public Health Committee of July 24th last in a report
of the same date which was presented to the Borough Council on July 31st,
together with the following recommendations of your Public Health Committee
which were approved by the Council.
(a) That the action taken by the Medical Officer of Health in the matter
be approved.
(b That a copy of the report of the Medical Officer of Health be sent to
the Local Government Board, the Board of Agriculture, and the
London County Council, with a representation stating that this