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18
V.— INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD.
Milk Supply.—At the end of the year there were 101 entries upon the
Register, and 66 of these were in respect of premises upon which cows were
kept.
The Veterinary Inspectors made quarterly examinations of the cows,
usually between 1,200 and 1,250 in number, belonging to the registered
cowkeepers. No undoubted cases of tuberculosis were reported, although
several suspected animals were subjected to the tuberculin test. In the few
cases in which emaciation or other symptoms of tuberculosis were discovered,
the animal was separated from the herd, and was either slaughtered at once
or after the conditions showed no improvement under treatment. It was
reported, after the examination in the third quarter of the year, that a
number of animals which were in a poor condition had been slaughtered, in
view of the coming into force of the new Regulations in September. A
number of cases of simple mastitis were reported, and in such cases the
milk was not used for human consumption.
The premises were visited by the Sanitary Inspectors, who reported the
discovery of defects, mainly in respect of want of cleanliness, on 15
occasions.
Four licences for Certified Milk, two for Grade A (Tuberculin tested)
Milk, and one for Grade A Milk were issued during the year.
One cowkeeper was summoned before the Council to show cause why
he should not be removed from the Register, with the result that he laid on
a proper water supply and carried out works of general improvement.
At the end of December, 1924, and in 1925, one sample of milk which
had been pasteurised and 26 samples of ordinary milk were examined for
the number of bacteria per cubic centimetre and the presence of bacillus coli.
The pasteurised milk contained 21,000 bacteria per c.c. and showed
the presence of bacillus coli in 1 c.c., but not in smaller quantities. A
sample of rail-borne milk contained 445,000 bacteria per c.c., and bacillus
coli in .01 c.c. The number of bacteria in the other 25 samples varied from
2,050 to 120,500 per c.c. ; in 10 samples the number was less than 30,000,
the standard for certified milk, in 12 others it was less than 100,000, and in
the remaining 3 samples it was slightly above that number. Two samples
showed the presence of bacillus coli in 001 c.c., 8 in 01 c.c., 10 in .1 c.c.,
and in 6 samples the bacillus was not found in .1 c.c. Five of the samples
came within the standard of certified milk, 8 others within that of Grade A
milk, and the remainder, with the exception of the sample first mentioned,
were within the standard of Grade A milk in respect of the number of
bacteria, but showed an excess of bacillus coli.
In cases in which the results of the examinations were not satisfactory,
the cowkeepers were informed that the analyses indicated a lack of
cleanliness in the production of the milk.
Meat.—The occupiers of the slaughter-houses were circularised and
their attention called to the provisions of the Public Health (Meat)
Regulations, and the slaughter-houses and butchers shops were visited and
inspected, and the requirements of the Regulations were explained.