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The report was as follows :—•
" The results for milk sugar agree with each other. The absence of colour with paraphenylene-diamine
shews that the milk has been heated above 80°C. The result for soluble
albumin is very low, pointing to its almost complete removal. On these findings, I am of
opinion that the milk has been sterilized."
For the information of those who have not had to deal with this subject before, the importance
of these tests is that the soluble albumin determined by Sebelein's method shows a 0.4% to 0.5% of
soluble albumin in fresh milk, while sterilised milk contains not more than 0.1%.
In the estimation of milk sugar by the Polarimeter and gravimetrically, if the former is much
less than the latter the milk is probably sterilised.
In the paraphenylene-diamine test, fresh milk gives an immediate blue coloration, while sterilised
milk gives no coloration within 10 minutes.
Pasteurised milk occupies a position midway between fresh milk and sterilised milk in all
these tests, and a mixture of fresh milk and sterilised milk will behave like pasteurised milk.
I am indebted both to Dr. Monier Williams and Dr. Hamill for considerable help and information
in dealing with this matter.
The plea which was raised was as follows
A man must not sell milk unless he is registered.
Why therefore can a Local Authority refuse registration because of previous history of the
applicant in some other district ?
But if that contention is right, he can go from the area of one Local Authority to that of another
without let or hindrance, that is if a purveyor commits an offence and is struck off the register in the
area of one authority, he can apply to another authority who must register him.
That surely cannot be the intention of the Section which gives power to refuse registration.
If the purveyor cannot be refused registration on the grounds that his previous history shows
he is likely to endanger the public health, the section appears to me to be practically useless.
Further, a person is bound to apply for registration, and if he does so, I submit that he should
apply in his own name irrespective of any trade name he uses, otherwise there is no positive identification.
He can say his name is XY, when his real name is GH. The vendor in question in the
course of his evidence said he was registered in the name of XY, when there was no such person as
XY. He admitted that any person receiving a letter on his trade note-paper would have thought
that they were dealing with a person named XY and not G.H.
The defence objected that there was no official from the Board of Trade to prove the search
for the name in the Register of Business Names, and also objected to evidence of conviction from another
Court, which was not proved by an official of that Court.
The defence also objected to any record of the previous convictions being submitted as evidence.
Although the irregularities were admitted, the Bench held that they were " of the opinion that
the reason for removal from the register was insufficient " and the appeal was granted with costs
against the Council.
In the meantime, a very large round has been worked up, the public buying what they think
is something of the nature, not demanded, but expected.
482 inspections were carried out in respect of cowsheds, dairies and milkshops.
Unofficial milk analyses are made by the Medical Officer of Health.
Number of firms in the district licensed to sell
" Certified" milk 5 (7 shops).
" Grade A " (Tuberculin Tested) milk 8 (11 shops).
" Grade A " milk —
" Grade A" Pasteurised milk 1 (1 shop).
" Pasteurised " milk 5 (14 shops).
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