View report page

6
separate overflows fixed at various levels permit of cooling different
quantities of bottles without unnecessary consumption of steam
and water.
The Washing Tank is made in two divisions of one-eighth
galvanized iron plate, without rivets, and has no sharp angles, all
corners being rounded. A light iron rack is fixed in the bottom
of one division to save breaking the bottles. On a small platform
above this tank there is a turbine bottle-washer, driven by steam,
to which brushes are attached. The other division of the tank is
fitted with thirty-six jets which are connected with the water main.
These are for spraying the bottles out after having been washed.
Both divisions are fitted with a plug and overflow.
The tank, known as the Soaking Tank, is used for soaking
dirty bottles when they first arrive in the Depot. This is also
fitted with a light iron rack to prevent breakages, made of oneeighth
plate, all joints being fused, there being no square corners.
The Boiler is in a separate apartment cut off from the
working part of the Depot by a door. It is fitted with a donkey
pump and supply tank. All the walls of this apartment are
rendered hard and smooth. The benches used in the working
rooms are covered with zinc. An apparatus has been fixed in one
corner of the Depot for cleansing churns and cans by a steam jet,
and by hose pipes delivering either steam or water into the vessels.
The Dairy has marble benches. An "Alfa-Laval" separator
is used for separating the additional cream required. Milk on
arrival will be carefully strained through a "Ulex" strainer,
which is so constructed that the milk passes through a fine wire
gauze and cotton wool. All milk on receipt is tested by a
"Gerber" tester.
There are two kinds of bottles in use, holding 8 oz. and 5 oz.
These are inscribed with the Borough monogram, and fitted with
necks to take the "Alu" stopper. These stoppers are small
aluminium discs with an indiarubber band, expanded by a special
machine ; the stoppers are thrown away each time they are used.
The milk is brought from the farm in a special form of churn
which protects it from contamination during transit.
The wire baskets used for the delivery of the bottles are
smaller than those generally used in Milk Depots. They hold
either 6 or 9 bottles.
The indiarubber teats are made to fit the neck of the bottles
sent out from the Depot.
The Milk is to be obtained from a Farm in the Borough,
situated on high ground, near Chislehurst, which is frequently
inspected by the Council's Inspectors.
The Cows are out in the fields most of the year; the cowsheds
are supplied with Kent water; ventilated and lighted; well
paved and carefully cleansed; the cows' udders and the men's
hands are always washed before milking.
The Farm has been recently redrained under the supervision
of the Public Health Department.