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discussion, it is not proposed to take it up here. It may be stated, however, that
because of the existence of the two authorities there is frequently duplication of work,
a quite unnecessary and excessive amount of interchange of correspondence and
from time to time cross-purposes. All of which is contrary to the best interests of
the public health locally and particularly to those of the children.
In regard to the infectious diseases, as they affect the school child, that there
should be two staffs—the local and the County Council—engaged, appears to be
unnecessary and generally leads merely to the expenditure of a great deal of energy
as a result of each endeiivouring to keep the other informed as to the state of affairs.
That, so far as the general health of the school children, as determined by
medical inspection, is concerned, only one authority, and that not the local authority
but the County Council, possesses full information, is a serious matter. In regard to
conditions found at the medical inspections, the local medical officer of health receives
no direct information ; as a matter of fact, if he desires to learn where inspections
are to be made, he must ask to be informed or find out from the weekly gazette of
the County Council. Again, if he wishes to know what the results were, he must
ask or endeavour to glean the information from the pages of reports issued by the
County Council long afterwards.
These are, clearly, serious objections, and it is sincerely to be hoped that when
re-organization takes place, school medical work will be put in the hands of the local
health authority, the Borough Council.
A certain amount of information with regard to infectious diseases in the schools
will be found in the section dealing with these diseases.
FOOD.
A. Milk Supply.
Only a very small part of the milk consumed in the district is produced within
the Borough and reference is made elsewhere to the cowsheds still occupied. The
bulk of the supply is derived from outside, the distribution being in the hands of a few
large firms, most of whom belong to the large combine. Despite the operations of
this body, a considerable part of the population is served from a number of fairly
large dairy shops, and in the poorer districts certain general shops continue to retail
milk along with other articles of food.
Speaking generally, there is little to complain of in connection with the milk
supply either as regards quantity or quality. London's milk is notoriously less fresh
when it reaches the consumer than is the case, probably, in any other town in the
kingdom. It is almost inevitable that there should be a certain amount of delay, but
that the interval between the producer and the consumer could be reduced is not
unlikely. Having regard to the amount of consideration that is now being given to
the milk question generally, it seem probable that there will in time be improvements
in this as in other connections.
Analysis of milk.—It has always been one of the chief aims of the Council to ensure
that the quality of the milk supplied in the Borough shall be maintained, and during
the year much of the time of the department and the food inspector was devoted to
this matter. The total number of samples taken either formally and in accordance
with the provisions of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, or informally as "test"
samples was 700. On examination by the Public Analyst 14 (2 per cent.) were found
to be adulterated. In 1918 the percentage was 3.3, and 1917 and 1916 2.5 and 4.0
respectively. Further reference to the question of milk examinations is made in the
report of the Public Analyst which will be found elsewhere.