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Under Section 37 of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907,
the medical officer or any person provided with his authority in writing may examine
the person or clothing of any inmate of a common lodging house where they have
reason to suspect* that such person or clothing is verminous or in a foul and filthy
condition. The exercise of these powers has undoubtedly contributed to the improvement
noted with regard to verminous conditions in such houses. No formal action
under this section was necessary during the year.
Verminous
lodgers in
common
lodging
houses.
Milk and Dairies (Consolidation) Act, 1915.
The Milk and Dairies (Consolidation) Act, 1915, came into operation on 1st
September, 1925, and superseded as from 1st September, 1926, Part IV. of the
London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1907. Under the altered arrangements
the Council substituted for the position of full-time veterinary inspector one
of half-time temporary veterinary inspector, subject to periodical review, and has
decided to continue his employment until 31st December, 1931.
Tuberculous
milk.
Samples of milk forwarded to London from places outside the county are taken
and examined under the provisions of the Milk and Dairies (Consolidation) Act,
1915. In 1930, of samples of milk consigned to London railway termini from 33
counties 2,557 were submitted for biological examination. In the case of 2,331
samples, the biological examination was completed, and of these 213, or 9.1 per cent.,
yielded tubercle bacilli, as against 7.5 per cent. in 1929.
From the copies of reports forwarded by the county medical officers of health,
it would appear that 106 cows from the herds concerned had been found to be
affected with tuberculosis and were slaughtered under the Tuberculosis Order, 1925.
In the case of 206 samples, it was reported that the injected guinea pigs had
succumbed to an acute intercurrent infection by some organism other than the
tubercle bacillus. In the case of 62 of these samples the Lister Institute reported
that, in their opinion, the deaths of the guinea pigs were caused by infection conveyed
in the milk. The facts relating to these cases also were referred to the county medical
officers of health for them to take such action as might appear necessary. Replies
were received in respect of 30 of these 62 samples, and in 16 instances conditions
were found which might account for the early deaths of the guinea pigs.
Conditions which contravene the provisions of the Milk and Dairies Order, 1926,
are sometimes observed by the inspectors while engaged in milk sampling. Contraventions
of the Order were noticed in several cases in regard to the cleanliness and
condition of churns. Details of these cases were transmitted to the authorities
concerned.
In December, 1930, it was decided that six months notice, dating from 1st
January, 1931, should be given to terminate the existing agreement with the laboratory
where the samples had been examined and that the examination of such samples
should be carried out in the Council's laboratories as from the 1st July, 1931.
Previously a report had been submitted stating that the number of samples examined
during recent years averaged 2,600 per annum involving an expenditure of approximately
£2,000 yearly, and that arrangements could be made for these examinations
to be carried out in the Council's recently acquired Southern Group Laboratory at
the Park Hospital at a saving of apnroximatelv £650 per annum.
Examination
of milk.
In the report above referred to attention was drawn to existing arrangements
for milk sampling for tubercle at a number of institutions at which bovine animals
were kept, transferred to the Council by the recent changes in local government.
These arrangements varied considerably, and, in order to preserve uniformity, it was
decided that the same procedure should be adopted in regard to sampling as obtained
at the Council's mental hospitals.
Transferred
institutions.
In compliance with the instruction of the Mental Hospitals Committee, the
cows at the mental hospitals have been inspected quarterly by the Council's veterinary
surgeon. In addition, samples of milk have been taken twice during the year
Mental
hospitals.