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37
The proprietor of the business, a well-known scientist, determined to get to
the root of the evil, and after a lengthy enquiry discovered that the trouble
was caused by the cows being milked in a building that had been sprayed
with a strong smelling disinfectant. As is well known, milk, butter and other
fatty substances have a well defined tendency to absorb the odour emanating
from any strongly smelling material lying in its vicinity.
In reviewing the results of the past year in this direction, I am forced to
the following conclusions:—
(1) The unsuitable type of churn fitted with a ventilated, unsealed or
unlocked lid is still largely in evidence, 69 per cent. of the present series
of samples coming to town in such receptacles.
(2) The fact that in many instances, churns are returned to farmers by
the consignees in London without any effort being made to cleanse them.
Obviously they should all be scalded and thoroughly washed out before
being returned to the farmers. To leave so necessary a precaution to
the. country men is directly courting trouble.
(3) That a large proportion of milk goes into consumption in London
that is capable of producing disease in the consumer, in some cases even
tuberculosis, and that a still larger quantity is polluted with dirt.
(4) That in spite of perpetual activity on the part of sanitarians, the
sanitary conditions prevailing at the seat of production leaves much to be
desired.
(5) That the standard of milk shows a serious falling off, such decline
in quality being due to sophistication at the farms.
It should not be a difficult matter to ensure that such an important article
of food as milk is not only produced, but delivered to the consumer under
the best hygienic methods, and I hope that the efforts made in this direction
will ere long result in the observance of such a condition of cleanliness and
commonsense principles by all engaged in the trade, that the presentation of a
guarantee with every delivery of milk to the consumer that it is perfectly sweet
and clean, will not be a position impossible to arrive at.