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42
The second on the above list is perhaps one of the most interesting and
calls for somewhat fuller reference than is made to it there. The seizure in this
case was of a quantity of skimmed milk alleged to be "pasteurized" i.e. kept at
a temperature some degrees below boiling point for a period sufficiently long to
kill such organisms as are likely to cause disease. The milk was brought from
South London and sold in the poorer streets in the eastern end of the borough
at two-pence or two-pence half-penny per quart. Firms making a speciality of
pasteurized milk usually retail it in sealed bottles to prevent all possibility of
re-infection after the process of pasteurization has been carried out. In this case,
however, the milk was sold from a churn in the open street, any purifying effect
produced by the heat being of course lost. On several occasions samples were
taken from the churns and submitted to bacteriological examination, the
results obtained always being most unsatisfactory. After each examination a
letter, drawing his attention to the unfavourable character of the report, was
sent to the vendor, but no improvement whatever resulted.
Having regard to this fact and to the possibility of injury being done to
the infants whom mothers, misled by the word pasteurized, were feeding upon
the milk, it was arranged to attempt to proceed in the manner set forth in sec. 47
of the Public Health (London) Act, and seize the milk, if it could be proved to
be unsound. The main difficulty in the way was that it was essential that a
bacteriological examination should be made and this is a matter requiring
usually a considerable amount of time. Thanks, however, to the kindness of
Dr. Eastes, the Council's bacteriologist, who undertook to make special examinations,
this difficulty was overcome. The next step was to make certain that
after the sample had been taken for examination nothing was added to the milk
before the condition of the sample taken was determined by the bacteriologist.
For several days a close watch was kept upon the vendor and the exact extent
of his "walk" discovered. On a day fixed, Dr. Eastes was advised that samples
would be sent to him and two inspectors were dispatched to deal with the case.
One purchased a sample of the milk and proceeded immediately to Dr. Eastes'
laboratory; the other followed the vendor on his rounds. At the end of an
hour Dr. Eastes issued a report with regard to the sample, as follows:—
"This milk has a high cellular content; a very high proportion of the cells
"are polymorphonuclears, evidence of the presence of a trace of pus. There
"is also an enormous number of bacteria, amongst which some long
"streptococci were seen, and in my opinion this milk is unfit for human
"consumption."
On the strength of this report the Medical Officer of Health issued instructions
that the milk was to be seized. The seizure was carried out by Inspector Smith
who first took further samples for examination and then submitted the milk to a
magistrate who unhesitatingly condemned it, partly on the report of Dr. Eastes
and partly on account of the dirty condition in which he found the milk to be.