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11
case, as in the cow-sheds, I find the greatest difficulty in getting
any structural improvement carried out. The dairyman is usually
poor, and only rents his premises for a short period so that the
owner is not disposed to lay out capital to render the premises
suitable for the storage of milk, especially necessary in the summer
months. The churns are usually kept uncovered, and all kinds of
dirt and germs are freely accessible. The rail-borne milk is
subjected also to storage in hot ill-ventilated vans, and is often
allowed to stand on a dusty station platform in the sun, and is
thoroughly well shaken up several times during the journey from
the producer to the consumer. No real reform in our milk supply
will be effected until this " go as you please " style is abolished,
and uniform methods insisted upon all over the country for the
carriage and handling of milk.
With regard to the milk shops I have succeeded, with the
co-operation of the Public Health Committee, in enforcing covered
receptacles in every case. This is some advance, but I fear this
precaution is very much on a par with the shutting of the stable
door when the horse has gone. The already grossly contaminated
milk is carefully shielded from less harm than it has already
received.
Another serious defect in the local dealing with the milk
supplies is the inability of the local authority to protect its own
milk supply. I estimate that only about one quarter of the milk
supplied in the town is produced therein, so that although we may
exercise the most careful supervision over the milk produced in the
district this supervision is rendered almost useless by the rail-borne
milk imported from elsewhere. I am quite sure the control of our
milk supplies should he in the hands of a central authority so as to
insure uniformity of aotion all over the country.
I reproduce here the resolutions, above referred to, passed at a
reoent Conference of Health Authorities, and adopted by the
Council:—