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retail for human consumption, with special provisions relating to catering sales. The Minister is
empowered to provide facilities for the treatment of milk so as to comply with special designations
and he may make arrangements with local authorities or others for doing this on his behalf and at
his expense.
After the expiration of five years from 1st October, 1949, the designation "Accredited" is to bo
excluded as an obligatory designation. "Accredited" milk under the old Milk and Dairies Order,
1936, was "raw" milk from cows which had passed veterinary examination and it had to satisfy the
methylene blue test and not contain any coliform bacilli in one-hundredth of a millilitre.
It is now forbidden to use the special designation "Accredited" for a purpose for which the use
of a special designation is obligatory by virtue of the Milk (Special Designations) Act, 1949, unless
such milk is all from a single herd.
(a) The Milk (Special Designation) (Raw Milk) Regulations, 1949.
(b) The Milk (Special Designation) (Pasteurised and Sterilised Milk) Regulations, 1949.
The old Milk (Special Designations) Order, 1936, and amending Regulations to 1948 are now
revoked.
There is no longer any provision for fees to be charged for licences to be issued under either of
these new Regulations, (a) The Milk (Special Designations) (Raw Milk) Regulations, 1949:—Define
"raw milk" as that which has not been subjected to heat treatment and authorise the use of the
designations "Tuberculin Tested" and "Accredited" with the special provisions that after 1st
October, 1954, the use of the special designation "Accredited" will no longer be permitted and no
new application to use that designation will be granted after 30th September, 1952.
After 1st October, 1957, the special designation "Tuberculin Tested" may only be used in
respect of milk from a herd on the Register of Attested Herds of the Minister of Agriculture and
Fisheries and no application to use that designation will be granted after 30th September, 1954,
unless the herd is registered as an Attested Herd.
(b) The Milk (Special Designation) (Pasteurised and Sterilised Milk) Regulations, 1949:—
Authorise the use of the designations "Pasteurised" and "Sterilised." The last-mentioned is a new
designation and the Regulations specify that milk to which it is applied shall be filtered or clarified,
homogenised and heated to and maintained at, such a temperature, not less than 212 deg. Fall, for
such a period as to ensure that it will comply with the Turbidity Test, the technique of which is
prescribed. The milk is to be treated in bottles and on completion of treatment the bottles are to be
sealed with an airtight seal. Every bottle is to be conspicuously and legibly marked "Sterilised Milk"
or " Tuberculin Tested Milk (Sterilised) " as the case may be.
From 1st October, 1950, until 1st October, 1954, milk which is pasteurised in bottles must be
delivered to the consumer in such bottles, and milk which is pasteurised by the usual method in other
containers must be put into bottles, or other containers in which it is to be delivered to consumers,
only by the person holding a licence to use the designation "Pasteurised" in relation to such milk,
and on the registered premises named in that person's licence. From 1st October, 1954, all pasteurised
milk must be put into bottles, or other containers in which it is to be delivered by retail, on the premises
on which it is pasteurised.
37 Supplementary Licences and 13 Dealers Licences have been issued in connection with the
above-mentioned Regulations.
The Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1949:—Whilst re-enacting in general principles most of the
requirements of the old Milk and Dairies Regulations, 1926, which are revoked, these new Regulations
are stronger and more precise, particularly as they relate to powers in connection both with cases of
infected persons handling milk and of persons suffering from disease caused by eonsumpton of milk.
There are also some important and useful added requirements in connection with the protection of
milk against contamination. It is not permitted to leave or cause to be left any bottles or cartons
containing milk on a public highway except upon final delivery on a retail sale and every person who
habitually uses any particular place for the deposit of milk to await collection or further conveyance
is required to afford such place protection from the direct rays of the sun. There is a further prohibition
against the opening of any milk receptacle in the course of conveyance or distribution of the milk and
against transferring milk from one receptacle to another at any place other than registered premises.
There are certain exceptions particularly with regard to the opening of a receptacle containing milk
on final delivery on a retail sale. Bottle caps and discs before use, are required to be stored in a clean
place and protected from dust and dirt.
It was found necessary to administer cautions, two by letter and two verbally, with regard to the
placing of filled bottles of milk in crates on the public footways.
Fcod Hygiene.
The hygiene of the preparation and handling of food continues to receive close attention.
The Corporation of the City of London were invited to submit evidence to the Inter-departmental
Committee on Meat Inspection, and I collaborated with the Medical Officer of Health of the Port of
London and the Superintendent anil Chief Veterinary Officer of the Metropolitan Cattle Market, in
the preparation of a memorandum, and attended before the Committee. I also gave evidence oh
behalf of the Society of Medical Officers of Health before the Catering Trades Working'Party and the
Meat Products Working Party appointed by the Ministry of Food.
Having so recently had the opportunity of expressing, both in writing and verbally, my views
on the problem of food hygiene as they affect the City of London, I do not propose to discuss the
subject in detail here, but await with great interest the reports of the three Committees referred to
above, which will doubtless provide a well-balanced view based on opinions and experience, not only
of medical officers of health, veterinary officers and sanitary inspectors, but of representatives of the
industries concerned and of consumers.
While fully appreciating the importance of food hygiene, I sometimes think that the publicity
recently given to this subject has been rather one sided and has tended to' create the impression that
we in this country are at least careless, if not actually dirty, in our methods of handling, preparing