Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Harrow]
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Licensing.
The only change in the number of the licences issued was one
additional licence to pasteurise.
Of the 15 premises licensed to retail tuberculin tested milk, 8 belong
to one firm, 2 to one, and 2 to another. Two premises are licensed for
the bottling of tuberculin tested milk; supplementary licenses were
issued to two producers outside the district to retail tuberculin tested
milk here and 2 supplementary licences were issued to outside producers
to retail pasteurised milk in the district. Three establishments were
licensed for pasteurising milk. Of the 41 premises licensed for the sale
of pasteurised milk, 17 belong to one firm, 13 to one, and 4 to one and
2 to another.
Sampling.
12 samples of pasteurised milk were submitted to bacteriological
examination and the phosphatase test. All except one, which contained
bacillus coli were satisfactory. All four samples of tuberculin tested
milk were satisfactory. Of the five samples of tuberculin tested (pasteurised)
milk, three failed to pass the prescribed tests; and two of the
eight samples of raw were unsatisfactory, yielding too high a B.Coli count.
Sterilising of Utensils.
Owing to difficulties in arranging steam sterilisation of dairy equipment,
Article 21 of the Milk and Dairies Order, 1926, was amended to
permit the use of sodium hypochlorite of certain strength.
(B) MEAT.
Inspection.
Still less slaughtering of animals took place, only 44 pigs owned by
pig clubs or an institution being killed and inspected. In all cases the
carcases were sound, it being necessary to condemn only two mesenteric
fats for tuberculosis and five plucks for parasitic disease or pneumonia,
and two livers on account of abscesses and fluke.
Meat Depot.
This depot has, during the year, been under constant supervision,
receiving daily visits by one of the sanitary inspectors. Carcases of five
sheep, of total weight 158 lbs. were condemned, four on account of black
mould and one owing to putrefaction; 1,238 lbs. of beef because of bone
taint, 993 lbs. due to putrefaction, 106 lbs. owing to black mould, 51 lbs.
for bruising, 17 lbs. because of tuberculosis; 6 lbs. of mutton because of
bruising and 5 lbs. due to black mould and brine stain; 127 lbs. of pork
due to putrefaction, 123 lbs. of veal owing to bone taint and about 98 lbs.
of offal on account of putrefaction or parasitic disease; and of tripe
2,062 lbs.
There was a further increase in the tinned meats, such as corned
beef and mutton, distributed from the depot, and the percentage of this
class of food which had to be condemned was higher, about 9,493 lbs.
being unsound, mainly because the tins were blown or leaky.