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57
Feeding, or the influence of food on the cow is given as a cause of
variation in quality,
The defendant in a prosecution case frequently blames the cows'
food. It might be said that starvation is the only condition which will
make an appreciable influence in the variation in quality. Some blame
the giving of too much water to the cow, but it is probable this only
takes effect when the amount of water given, high or low, reacts
detrimentally upon the general welfare of the animal. Despite this,
we hear of defences in which it has been alleged that fresh young
greens in the spring, wet brewers' grains and mangolds have produced
more milk but of lower quality. It would seem that there is room for
further investigation into the causes of fluctuations in quality and for
endeavours to remove them by more efficient organisation and handling.
It has been suggested that milk should be sold on a butter fat percentage
basis, but as to how this could be done no one seems to know.
The administrative difficulties are well nigh impossible on the grounds
that very frequently you could not get a regular and fixed percentage of
butter fat. I have said nothing, or very little of the gentleman who,
when taking round a cart of milk and being desirous of saving a quart
of milk for a friend, stops by the wayside pump to replenish the churn.
To-day, in Deptford, Certified milk is sold at 1s. per quart, but in
Reading, Grade A milk is sold at 9d. Ordinary milk is sold at 6d.
Perhaps most of the milk sold in the Borough may be said to be
subjected to a certain amount of pasteurising, but no firm is legally
entitled (not being licensed) to say that its milk is legally pasteurised.
Pasteurising means that the milk is subjected to a temperature of
145° for not less than half-an-hour. If a firm takes out a licence to sell
pasteurised milk, then that milk, when sampled for bacteriological
purposes, must not contain more than a certain number of germs in a
cubic centimetre (about 15 small drops).
If a household cannot afford to buy Certified or Grade A milk (and
only a few can) they should bring up the ordinary milk to the boiling
point and cool it rapidly, then cover the milk jug with a plate and keep
the jug standing in cold water. The purity of the milk supply is in the
hands of the public.
Meanwhile, it is the firm conviction of Medical Officers of Health
that dried milk for infants and children up to five years of age has
solved many difficulties and is a great boon.