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 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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30
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 surgeons, and samples of the milk
have been taken at least twice during the year. The results of sampling and of
veterinary inspection were as follows:—
Table 36.
| Department | Approximate stock at 31st December, 1936 | Visits by veterinary surgeon | Samples taken of which examination completed | Samples found to be tuberculous | Cows with tuberculosis | Cows with unhealthy conditions not tuberculous | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cows | Bulls | Young stock | ||||||
| Education | 9 | 2 | - | 9 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Mental hospitals | 1,155 | 21 | 18 | 58 | 240 | 11 | 7 | 131 |
| Public assistance | 35 | 1 | 14 | 12 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| Public health | 33 | 2 | — | 6 | 8 | — | — | — |
| Total | 1,232 | 26 | 32 | 85 | 294 | 13* | 11 | 142 |
* Or 4.4 per cent.
In the first instance cows are sampled in groups; when a specimen
proves positive and it is impossible to discover the diseased cow by clinical
methods, individual samples are taken under the instructions of the veterinary
surgeons, who confer with the farm bailiffs and give such advice as may be necessary
for the treatment of suspected milk and the general maintenance of the herds.
Licensed
cowsheds
The cows in the London licensed sheds are inspected under the provisions of
Part IV of the Milk and Dairies Order, 1926. The veterinary surgeons inspected each
shed at least four times during the year, making 161 visits in all. During these
inspections 3,385 cows were examined of which 304 were found to be unhealthy,
one being in a state of tuberculous emaciation, 188 suffering from mastitis, 34 from
induration of the udder and 81 with some other defect. The animal found to be
tuberculous was slaughtered voluntarily by the owner.
In connection with these inspections, 33 samples of milk were taken for biological
examination in suspected cases; of these, three results were incomplete and the
remainder negative. In addition to the special samples, 80 routine samples were
taken, the examination of 3 of which was incomplete and of the remainder two
(or 3.6 per cent.) were tuberculous.
The number of licensed cowsheds in the county has been diminished from 738 in
1889, the year of the Council's inception, to 38 in the year now under review. The
existing premises are mostly situated in the metropolitan boroughs of Stepney and
Bethnal Green.
By-laws for the protection of food
By-laws for promoting sanitary and cleanly conditions in the manufacture,
preparation, storage, transport, or exposure for sale of articles intended to be sold
for food, have been made by the Council after consultation with authorities and
organisations interested. These by-laws have been confirmed by the Minister of
Health and come into force on 1st January, 1937.
Venereal diseases
In the Annual Report for the year 1916, particulars were given of a scheme for
the provision of the necessary facilities for the diagnosis and treatment of venereal
disease which had been formulated as a result of conferences between representatives
of the counties of London, Buckingham, Essex, Hertford, Kent, Middlesex and Surrey,
and of the county boroughs of Croydon, East Ham and West Ham.