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116
Inspection and Supervision of Food,
(a) Milk Supply.
(1) Dairies. The efforts of the previous year to improve the
many unsatisfactory dairies were continued during the year under
review. Administration of the Milk and Dairies Order, 1926, has
resulted in considerable improvement in milk distribution in East
Ham. The remaining dairies in appallingly bad condition were
reconstructed in 1936. In each of the dairies are appliances for
"cleansing and scalding by steam" all vessels and appliances, and
in each of our dairies "all practicable precautions for preventing
the milk from being contaminated" are required to be taken by
the use of mechanical filling appliances for bottles and the
mechanical closing of bottles of milk. The hitherto cold wash
(only) for the bottle, the filling of bottles with a dipper (and the
not infrequent dipping of the hand into the milk), and the closing
of bottles by handling of each disc with none too clean hands in
the open backyard, are now 'past practice.' The new practice
must still be supervised, and there is still room for improvement
in some of the older dairy structures.
At the instigation of the Department, four dairymen ceased
sales of loose milk from counter pans in general shops and commenced
the sale of milk in the receptacles in which it is received,
i.e. four premises ceased to be dairies.
The revision of the registers continues, and will be completed
in the ensuing year. During the year under review 20
purveyors were added to the register. Complete reconstruction
of the pasteurising plant at the large local establishment resulted
in thermostatic control being introduced at the instigation of the
Department. Thermographic records were examined systematically
and the whole of the plant periodically.
During the year the process of stassanisation was introduced
at a new dairy, and a plant for the manufacture of waxed cartons
and for filling and closing them installed. Nine hundred gallons
of milk are being so processed and distributed daily by this dairy.
(2) Bacteriological Examination of Milk. Systematic sampling
of the milk supply for bacteriological examination was continued,
and the results are set out in the following statement:—