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During the year special enquiries were made with reference to the samples
which contained a percentage of fat exceeding 4.2. Four were of milks sampled
in the course of delivery at Railway Stations, two were ascertained to have been
milk from Jersey cows, and the amount of fat therefore was not excessive. Eight
samples were taken from shop containers, and the circumstances were such as to
suggest that the neglect of proper stirring by the retailer had increased the proportion
of fat in the earlier sales of milk at the expense of those made later in the day.
(B). BACTERIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL EXAMINATION OF MILK
SAMPLES COLLECTED AT RAILWAY TERMINUS.
In August, 42 samples of milk were collected on arrival in the City, and submitted
to Sir F. W. Andrewes, F.R.S., City Bacteriologist, for examination and
investigation as to presence of " dirt."
These samples arrived from 42 different farms, viz., 16 in Norfolk, 12 in Essex,
9 in Suffolk, 2 in Hertfordshire, 2 in Cambridgeshire, and 1 in Huntingdonshire.
The following is a summary of Sir F. W. Andrewes' report :—
Dirt.—These 42 samples were on the whole very good in this respect. No really dirty
sample was found. The " traces " noted represented a few blackish or greyish specks in
the deposit, and even these were absent in 20 out of the 42 samples.
Tubercle.—Three of the inoculated guinea pigs died prematurely, within the first
3 or 4 days after inoculation. These experiments are noted as " frustrate." Two further
animals died of enteritis due to Gartner's bacillus, 12 and 19 days after inoculation. The
absence of any inflammatory re.action at the site of inoculation, or in the regional glands,
renders it almost certain that no tubercle bacilli were present. These experiments are noted
as " probably negative."
Deducting the three frustrate experiments, five animals out of the remaining 39 developed
tubercle or 12.8 per cent.
In returning an animal as tuberculous the following points have been observed :—
(1) The naked eye appearances have been characteristic.
(2) Acid fast bacilli have been demonstrated in the lesions, though sometimes
only one or two could be found.
(3) Egg.cultures have been made and have yielded no immediate growth of any
organism other than the tubercle bacillus. No growth of the latter can be
expected for some weeks.
(Signed) F. W. ANDREWES.
St. Bartholomew's Hospital.
October 21st, 1924.
From the following statement of results obtained since 1904 it will be seen that
the improvement indicated by the decrease in the percentage of Tuberculous
Samples shown in 1922 and 1923 has not been maintained.