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39
Milk Distributors.
There are 13 milk distributors with registered premises in the
district. There are also 13 firms registered as milk distributors in
Hornchurch whose premises are registered in other districts. In
addition 41 shopkeepers are registered for the sale of bottled milk
only.
Milk Bottles.
The need for milk bottles being washed out before return to the
distributor remains as desirable as ever. Too many members of the
public are still too prone to blame the dairy companies—who do in
fact take a tremendous amount of care to avoid giving cause for
complaint—and are too prone to forget their own responsibilities. It
might also be advanced that although they may not be exposed to
mis-use or contamination it would provide an excellent propaganda
lesson for the pupils if the local schools made arrangements for their
milk bottles also to be cleansed before return. Whilst the cost of
ensuring this is naturally not known to me it is a matter which in
my view should receive the serious attention of the Education
Authority.
The Milk (Special Designation) (Raw Milk) Regulations 1949-54,
and The Milk (Special Designation) (Pasteurised and Sterilised
Milk) Regulations, 1949-53.
The number of licences issued by the Council during the year
was as follows:—
Dealer's (Pasteuriser's) 1
Dealer's (Pasteurised) 39
Supplementary Pasteurised 7
Dealer's Sterilised 63
Supplementary Sterilised 8
Dealer's Tuberculin Tested 20
Supplementary Tuberculin Tested 6
Milk Sampling.
The 159 samples of milk taken from the dairies and in the
streets during the course of delivery to customers throughout the
year were submitted to the Counties Public Health Laboratories for
testing. In 154 cases a satisfactory report was received. In addition
55 samples were submitted to the Public Analysts.
L.C.C. Children's Home, Hornchurch Road.
We have arranged to keep the Medical Officer of Health of the
L.C.C. informed of the results of testing of milk supplied to these
premises.
School Canteens.
During the year we paid 17 visits to school canteens. This is a
considerable diminution on last year. This does not reflect any
intention on our part to minimise the supervision which we exercise
over them but various factors outwith our control have made it
impracticable to carry out the number of inspections which I would
have wished. My remarks on school canteens on page 47 of last
year's report still represent my view and need not further be
recapitulated.