[Report 1936] / Medical Officer of Health, Northamptonshire County Council.

Northamptonshire (England). County Council.

Date:: 1936

Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1936] / Medical Officer of Health, Northamptonshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

78/132 (page 76)

SECTION E. Inspection and Supervision of Food. 1. MILK SUPPLY. At the end of the year 1936, the licences held by producers in this County were as follows :— Tuberculin Tested 15 ; Accredited 225. During the year, three new licences to produce Tuberculin Tested milk were granted by the Ministry of Health, and three were granted by the County Council. The Ministry retained the power of supervision of all farms licenced by them until the end of the year, but the County Medical Officer of Health was responsible for the supervision of those producers who received their licences from the County Council. 69 new licences for the production of Accredited milk were issued during the year, and 9 were relinquished. The premises of Accredited Producers were inspected at intervals, and of 371 “ routine ” samples taken for bacteriological examination, 288 were up to the required standard and 83 were not. In the latter cases, re-inspections were made and further samples taken until the conditions became satisfactory. In one instance the Public Health Committee suspended the licence of an Accredited Pro¬ ducer whose methods had fallen below the standard required by the County Council and whose milk was repeatedly found to be unsatisfactory. The period of suspension lasted for about one month by which time the producer had overhauled his methods and given the Department cause to believe that in future his milk would conform with the standard laid down by the Order. The alterations brought about by the Milk (Special Designations) Order, 1936, are fully dealt with on page 80 of this report. MILK AND DAIRIES (CONSOLIDATION) ACT, 1915. Six cases came under consideration during the year. The first was in respect of a sample of milk taken in Rugby by an Inspector of the Warwickshire County Council from a supply from Lilbourne, and found to be tubercle infected. A veterinary inspection was made of the dairy cattle (16) on the farm and four group samples of milk taken ; all were negative on examination. The second, third and fourth cases referred to samples of milk taken by London County Council Inspectors from supplies from Norton, Blisworth and Great Harrowden, respectively. 22 cows were examined on the Norton farm and a mixed sample taken from two cows and a separate sample from one cow regarded as suspicious; both samples were negative. At Blisworth, 12 cows were examined and three group samples taken from 11 cows and a sample from one cow regarded as suspicious ; two of the group samples were positive and on separate samples being taken, one cow was found to be tubercular and subsequently destroyed. At Great Harrowden, 22 cows were examined and separate samples taken, all of which were negative. (This was a flying herd ”—10 cows had left the farm between the taking of the sample by the London County Council’s inspector and the inspection by the Veterinary Officer.) The fifth case was referred from Watford Borough and was in respect of milk consigned from Kislingbury. Twelve cows were examined and group samples taken ; all were negative. The sixth case related to a sample of milk taken in Leicester City from a supply from Marston Trussell. 81 cows were examined and eight group samples taken. One sample was positive, and, following the taking of separate samples the affected cow was discovered and subsequently destroyed.