London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Croydon 1923

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]

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69
During the year eleven licences were issued for the sale of
"certified milk," one licence to deal in grade "A" milk and
two licences to sell grade "A" milk.
Since September last all samples of milk procured for examination
for tuberculosis under the provisions of the Croydon Corporation
Act, 1900, have been submitted to a further examination for
bacterial count and for the presence of bacillus coli, blood, pus,
and detritus.

The following table summarises the result of these bacteriological examinations of milk samples from 1st September to 31st December, 1923:—

Present.Absent.Over 200.000 per c.c.Under 100,00 per c.c.Present in 100 c.c.Absent from 100 c.cPresent.Absent.Present.Absent.Exceeding a trace.Not exceeding a trace.
Tubercle bacillus359
Total No. of bacteria656
Bacillus Coli1250
Blood161
Pus260
Detritus1151
626262626262

Included in the above total of 62 is one grade "A" milk and
seventeen samples procured at milking time and immediately
packed on ice.
The remaining forty-four samples were all procured at the
place of delivery (railway station or dairy) after a journey by rail or
road and thirty-two or 75 per cent. were equal to Grade " A " Milk,
while twelve fell below that standard in the bacterial count, in the
presence of bacillus coli or in both.
The results of these examinations seem, therefore, to indicate
that a considerable proportion of the ordinary milk supply is equal
in quality to Grade "A" Milk and might be so classified if the
conditions of transport and distribution were complied with. The
number of samples examined, however, was relatively small, and