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
London County Council 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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22
Institutions
under the
control of the
Council.
The cows kept at institutions under the control of the Council have been
inspected quarterly by the Council's veterinary surgeon. In addition, samples of
the milk have been taken twice during the year from the supplies given by the herds
at each of the institutions. The results of the routine inspection and the biological
examination of the samples taken from the milk of the herds are shown in the
following tables:—
Results of Milk Sampling.
| Department | Number of samples taken | Number of completed examinations | Number found to be tubercle infected | Number found to be negative | Number of cases of acute intercurrent infection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education | 11 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| Mental hospitals | 137 | 127 | 12 | 115 | 10 |
| Public assistance | 15 | 14 | — | 14 | i |
| Public health | 17 | 16 | 3 | 13 | i |
The percentage of samples found to be tubercle infected of the total number of
completed examinations made is 9-6.
Each of the herds at the eight institutions whence the sixteen tuberculous
samples emanated, was inspected, and sixteen cows were found to be suffering from
tuberculosis and subsequently slaughtered.
Results op Veterinary Inspection.
| Department | Number of visits | Number of examinations made | Number of cows with tuberculosis | Number of cows with other unhealthy conditions (apart from T.B.) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cows | Bulls | Young stock | ||||
| Education | 12 | 120 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
| Mental hospitals | 64 | 3,840 | 39 | 348 | 10 | 56 |
| Public assistance | 8 | 71 | — | 6 | — | — |
| Public health | 8 | 237 | 5 | 65 | 3 | 7 |
The veterinary surgeons confer with the farm bailiffs when making the
inspections and give such advice as may be necessary. Improvements and alterations
in the buildings, which add to the comfort of the animals and simplify and assist
cleansing operations, have been carried out. The farm stock generally is kept at a
high standard.
Licensed
cowsheds.
The cows in the London sheds are inspected under the provisions of Part IV
of the Milk and Dairies Order, 1926. The veterinary surgeons make a routine
quarterly inspection of the cows at each cowshed. The results are shown below :—
Number of visits to cowsheds 205
Number of cows examined 4,697
Number of bulls examined 20
Number of cows presenting unhealthy conditions 110
as follows—
Giving tuberculous milk 4
(cows slaughtered voluntarily by owners)
With chronic cough showing clinical signs of tuberculosis
3
(cows slaughtered voluntarily by owners)
With atrophy of one or more quarters 63
With other defects 40
It is interesting to note that the number of licensed cowsheds in the county
has diminished from 738 in 1889, the year of the Council's inception, to 45 in the
year now under review. The existing premises are mostly situated in the metropolitan
boroughs of Woolwich, Stepney and Bethnal Green; parts of Woolwich
being of a more or less rural character, while in Stepney and Bethnal Green the sheds
are necessary for the supply of milk to Jewish residents in accordance with the
requirements of their religion.