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tamination, to be followed by those met with in transit of
the milk by rail, etc. Then comes the contamination during
transference from (a) wholesale to (b) retail dealers, and
from retail dealers to consumers. Finally, there is the
home-contamination, i.e., contamination of the milk in the
homes of the consumers. All these facts show how hopeless
it is, at present, to secure a pure milk supply, and in view of
these difficulties, the Joint Conference contented itself by
passing a somewhat general resolution, viz., "That present
legislation in relation to milk is inefficient, and should be
amended, and enactments should be made compulsory, and
general."
It may be noted, in connection with the supply of pure
milk, that the Gloucestershire and North Hants Dairy Company,
Ltd., of London and Bristol, gave a demonstration,
at their dairy premises in Bristol, of what can be effected by
large dairy contractors in the way of purifying milk (prior
to its distribution) by mechanically freeing it from all suspended
"dirt," and cooling it down, immediately after pasteurisation,
to a low temperature. The amount of "dirt"
thus obtained, requires to be seen to be believed, whilst the
resultant pure milk was, apparently, everything that could
be desired—at least as far as sight, smell and taste could
shew.
The subject of pure milk was also touched upon in other
Sections and Conferences of the Congress, more especially
in its relation to infantile mortality, in connection with
which the importance of milk depots was emphasized, and
generally acknowledged, not only in respect of practical
good done, but also as object lessons of how properly to
prepare (and modify) milk for infants' food. Legislation
was asked for in connection with the annual licensing of all
dairies, cowsheds and milkshops, in lieu of registration as
at present.
"Dried" milks came in for discussion, but nothing satisfactory
was reported in their favour to the Congress.
5.—Hygiene in School Life.
The Conference dealing with this subject was one of the
most important held in connection with the Congress—the
Opening Address by the President (Bishop Percival) being