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75
veyors of milk. In addition, 19 dairymen were registered
whose registered premises were in adjoining areas. The
number of cowkeepers was 6. During the year there were
several changes in the register but no person was struck off
on account of danger to the public health by reason of his
method of handling, storing or distributing milk.
Cowkeepers. The six registered cowkeepers in the Borough
hold licences for 20 cowsheds in all with accommodation for
437 cows. The average number of cows kept was 340. These
cowsheds were regularly inspected and it was found necessary
to serve four notices. Inspections of cowsheds are usually
made at milking time, when the Inspector is thus enabled to
judge whether the cows are being milked under conditions
which allow for the maintenance of a reasonable standard of
cleanliness at that time, and whether proper precautions are
being taken against the contamination of the new milk.
In general, the conditions were satisfactory.
Dairymen and Purveyors of Milk. The Milk and Dairies
Order, 1926, lays down general provisions for securing milk
against the risk of infection or contamination, not only in
dairies but in its conveyance and distribution by means of
churns or other utensils. These Regulations have been extremely
useful in improving the conditions under which milk
is handled, particularly with regard to dairy premises, and,
on the whole, it may be said that a fair standard of excellence
has been reached, although a minority of the milkmen have
still only an elementary idea of the principles underlying the
bottled milk trade. To the ordinary member of the public,
bottled milk suggests clean milk in a clean bottle, filled and
sealed in a clean dairy, and delivered without any tampering
to the consumer. The vast majority of bottles of milk sold
in Woolwich came within this category, but there is an