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Milk.
In addition to a note of the number of samples of milk taken under the Food and Drugs
Act for analysis, I have received the following report from the County Medical Officer with
regard to the action taken to safeguard the milk supply of the district:—
"During the year 1937, 45 samples of milk were taken from retailers in the district.
These samples were submitted to the Lister Institute for animal inoculation test, and in
6 cases the presence of tubercle bacilli was demonstrated. In three of these cases the
samples were traced to farmers in Berkshire, in two cases to farms in Oxfordshire, and
in the remaining case to a farm in Hampshire. The County Medical Officer of Berkshire
subsequently informed me that after examination of the herds at the first two farms one
cow from each herd was found to be suffering from tuberculosis, the first cow being
slaughtered and the second lent to the National Institute of Research in Dairying, to be
slaughtered after being used for experimental purposes. In the third case one cow was
slaughtered and group samples taken of the remainder of the herd, the results of which
have not yet come to hand. With regard to the sample traced to the County of Hampshire,
I was informed by the County Medical Officer that, although it had been found impossible
to trace the offending animal, one cow in the herd had died calving and had been sent to
the knackers between the date of taking the sample and the visit of the inspector. The
results of the examination of the Oxfordshire herds have not yet been received.
During the year no cows were reported by owners as shewing symptons suspicious
of tuberculosis.
Routine examination of milch cattle was carried out during the year by Mr. Reginald
Wooff, M.R.C.V.S., the County Council's whole-time veterinary inspector, and 504 inspection
of cows were made. Three cows were found to be suffering from tuberculosis and
were slaughtered."
515 inspections were carried out in respect of cowsheds, dairies and milkshops.
Unofficial milk analysis are made by the Medical Officer of Health.
Number of firms in the district licensed to sell :—
"Accredited" milk 1 (1 shop).
"Tuberculin Tested" milk 7 (13 shops)
*" Pasteurised" milk 16 (32 shops)
(*one of these is a licensed producer of " Pasteurised " milk).
Meat Inspection.
1. Meat Inspection.—This is carried out from the point of view of exercising the
maximum control. All the Sanitary Inspectors hold special certificates for meat inspection.
The slaughter-houses and butchers' shops are, in addition to the visits made under the
Meat Regulations, inspected periodically.
There are now 8 slaughter-houses (4 registered and 4 licensed), in use in the district and
each slaughter-house received on an average 5 visits per month. There were 68 butchers' shops in
the district at the end of 1937.
2. Public Abattoirs.—There is no public abattoir in the district. Slaughtering may take
place at any time in privately owned slaughter-houses, subject to the requisite notice being given
under the Meat Regulations.
The question of providing a public abattoir has, in the past, been considered by the Public
Health Committee, but after weighing the information obtained from other authorities the matter
was adjourned sine die.
3 Action under Section 117. Public Health Act, 1875.—827 lbs. 3 ozs. of unsound meat
were seized during the year.
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