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

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Shoreditch 1933

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]

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62
Milk (Special Designations) Order, 1923.

The following table shows the results of bacteriological analysis of samples of milk sold under this Order:—

No. of SampleDesignation of MilkNo. of bacteria per c. cm.Presence of coliform bacillusRemarks
99Pasteurised17,000Absent in 1/10 c.c.In every instance these samples conform to the bacteriological status laid down in the order for the relevant grade of milk.
100Pasteurised7,120Absent in 1/10 c.c.
101Pasteurised2,980Absent in 1/10 c.c.
102Pasteurised3,250Absent in 1/10 c.c.
103Pasteurised4,030Absent in 1/10 c.c.
104Pasteurised6,810Absent in 1/10 c.c.
105Pasteurised23,500Absent in 1/10 c.c.
106Pasteurised20,650Absent in 1/10 c.c.
107Grade "A" (T.T.)4,810Absent in 1/100 c.c.
108Grade "A" (T.T.)3,480Absent in 1/100 c.c.
117Pasteurised21,580Absent in 1/10 c.c.
129Certified8,720Absent in 1/10 c.c.
134Pasteurised36,100Absent in 1/10 c.c.
135Pasteurised42,600Absent in 1/10 c.c.
136Pasteurised31,060Absent in 1/10 c.c.
137Certified380Absent in 1/10 c.c.
138Certified560Absent in 1/10 c.c.

Tuberculous Milk.
The Minutes of the London County Council of the meeting held on 31st
October, 1933, contain: page 443, an important report from the Central
Public Health Committee on the subject of "Milk supply coming into London
—Infection with tubercle bacilli."
This report, which is too long to admit of adequate summary, should be
read by everyone who is interested in the question of the purity of the milk
supply in the Metropolis. Very briefly the present position is that the proportion
of milk found upon analysis to contain tubercle bacilli is higher than it
was a few years ago, and that two new factors now operate, one of which
tends to increase and the other to decrease, though both to an extent not
ascertained, the risk of infection to the consumer.
The dangers of the tubercle infection of milk are increased by the modern
method of transporting milk in bulk in tanks as this facilitates the contamination
of large quantities by the addition of small amounts of tuberculous milk.
The dangers are lessened by the fact that approximately 90 per cent of
London's milk is commercially pasteurized.
The report, however, is careful to explain that commercial pasteurization
is different from, less efficacious than, and not under administrative supervision,
as is pasteurization as defined in the Milk Special Designations Order.
Only milk that has been pasteurized as laid down in this Order may be
described for purpose of sale as pasteurized milk.