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44
Improvements continue to be made at dairy premises and at
the present time there is only one dairy without a steam plant for
the sterilization of milk utensils, this being at a farm which will
probably disappear in the near future as it is understood the land
has been sold for building developments. There are three dairies
without steam chests for sterilizing milk bottles. In one case an
order has already been given for a chest to be installed and in the
other a promise has been made by the dairyman to have this fitting
put in shortly. The third is at the farm already mentioned.
Milk (Special Designations) Order, 1923.—Under this Order
53 licences were granted during the year, 15 for the sale of Certified
Milk, 13 for Grade A (Tuberculin Tested) Milk and 25 for Pasteurised
Milk. One licence for bottling Grade A (Tuberculin Tested) Milk was
granted.
No samples of Certified Milk were taken, the milk coming
into the Borough under that designation being sampled elsewhere
by the direction of the Minister of Health.
Three samples of Pasteurised Milk were taken and in each
case the results came within the standards laid down by the Order.
Twelve samples of ordinary unclassified milk were examined •
for general bacterial content. One of these was found to have
676,500 bacteria per cubic centimeter. The attention of the
vendor was drawn to the condition of the milk and the provision
of a bottle sterilizing chest was insisted upon, which was shortly
afterwards installed. The remainder of the samples all contained
less than 200,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter.
Fourteen samples of ordinary milk were examined by biological
test at the Lister Institute for the presence of tubercle bacilli.
In one sample these organisms were found. This was reported
to the Middlesex County Council, when it was found that the
offending cow had already been discovered by the veterinary
surgeon during the period between the taking of the sample and
the receiving of the result. The veterinary surgeon caused the
animal to be slaughtered, and post-mortem examination confirmed
the physical diagnosis of tuberculosis.