[Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer of Health, Swindon Borough.

  • Swindon (Wiltshire, England). Borough Council.
Date:
1970
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1970] / Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer of Health, Swindon Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    51/102 (page 49)
    MiLK distribution , 11 licen^es authorising the sale of pre-packed milk and 1 Dealer*a ,f!t!!lr:L£!er6),LicenC0 authorising the processing of milk in accordance with the Milk (Special Designation) Regulations, 1963 for Pasteurised Milk were issued during the year. These Licences are issued to expire in 1975* 75 persons are also registered as Milk Distributors within the Borough under the Milk and Dairies Regulations. Untreated milk is sold retail within the Borough by two dairy farmers whose premises are situated outside the Borough boundary. SAMPLING A total of 182 samples of various foodstuffs was procured for chemical analysis during the year. 31 of these samples were taken formally and of the total number of samples submitted to the Public Analyst 8 were reported as unsatisfactory. 2 of these unsatisfactory reports were in respect of informal samples of milk which were found to be deficient in non-fatty solids. However, formal follow up samples from the same retailer were found, on analysis, to be entirely satisfactory. The 6 other unsatisfactory samples were in respect of consumer complaints, details of which and action tqken can be found in the table of samples submitted for chemical analysis. Samples of raw and untreated milk were taken at local dairies in order to test for the presence of Antibiotics and Brucellosis. The samples were taken at the time when the milk was received from the various producers; of the 174 samples procured 6 were found to contain traces of Penicillin. In each of these instances the farmer was warned and follow up samples were taken in order to ensure that appropriate action had been taken to reject milk from any cows which had recently been treated with Antibiotics. Of the 174 samples tested for the presence of Brucellosis 65 were reported positive on the Brucella Ring Test. This test is a preliminary •creening test for evidence of brucella infection in milk. Samples giving a positive ring test result are subjected to further testing in the Laboratory in order to confirm the presence of Brucellosis. Subsequent laboratory examinations carried out on the 65 positive ring test results showed that 45 were satisfactory, 9 samples were positive for Brucella Abortus following spleen culture tests and 11 samples were positive following milk culture tests. One of the unsatisfactory results was in respect of Untreated milk .e. milk which is not subjected to pasteurisation or other heat treatment efore supply to the consumer. This sample was procured from a dairy farmer who euppiies Untreated milk retail in the Borough. Investigations were made at the farm and 59 individual cow samples were taken from the herd. 8 samples were reported positive on culture test by the laboratory. The infected cows were subsequently isolated from the remainder of the herd and the milk from these cows was submitted for pasteurisation. Further samples taken from the dairy farmer were found to be satisfactory.