[Report 1951] / Medical Officer of Health, Warwickshire County Council.

  • Warwickshire (England). County Council.
Date:
1951
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1951] / Medical Officer of Health, Warwickshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    49/54 (page 47)
    Only three methylene blue failures were recorded, equal to 0.49% as against 1.4% for 1950. This is mainly a “ keeping quality ” test and is without doubt affected to some extent by the weather. Milk in Schools Scheme. Milk is supplied free of charge for pupils in grant-aided schools, the source and quality of which must be approved by the Medical Officer of Health. In practice, supplies are obtained and supervised by consultation between the Health and Education Departments, with assistance from the Area Milk Officer of the Ministry of Food. Two grades of milk normally are approved, namely, Pasteurised and Tuberculin Tested ; in a very small number of schools where it is impossible to obtain either of these grades of milk, the best alternative available is temporarily approved. Supervision by the Health Department includes visits to dairies and schools, and examination of milk supplies, in addition to knowledge of supplies gained from the Department’s other activities in connection with Milk and Dairies. All supplies of milk to schools are the subject of visits and samples at least once in every school term. The following is a summary of the nsmber of schools, the suppliers and grade of milk sup¬ plied, and samples taken during the year :— Designation of milk supplied. No. of Schools. No. of Suppliers. No. of Samples. No. of unsatis¬ factory samples. Pasteurised 227 59 652 59 “ Tuberculin Tested ” 15 11 60 4 “ Accredited ” and Non- 5 3 16 1 graded. Totals . 247 73 728 64 It will be observed that 8.8% of milk samples are classed as “ unsatisfactory,” compared with 20% in 1950. For convenience and economy all samples are taken after delivery, and therefore under more exacting conditions. The majority of “ failures ” were methylene blue test for keeping quality. Although some changes were made during the year to obtain improved supplies, and for other reasons, none were made necessary by reason of unsatisfactory samples, and the action taken in this connection was limited to advice and caution. It is not without difficulty that the Milk in Schools Scheme is maintained. Whatever the merits or otherwise of price control may be, the fact is that many dairymen will not undertake the school milk supply and some have given it up because the business isunremunerative, and in some instances, shows a loss. The price paid for milk in schools is the basic price for ordinary milk, with no addition, but the service requires provision of three times as many bottles and caps, extra labour to handle and wash the greater number of bottles, the provision of drinking straws, and to some extent, special equipment and delivery service. This may be balanced by the semi-wholesale character of the business in large towns, but in rural areas which are our concern, heavy cost of transport must be added, and it is obviously not attractive business. The result is that we are limited in choice of supplier, not always able to secure the “ best available source ” and sometimes have to take the only supply that offers, and for a few schools it is impossible to obtain a supply of any kind.