CARE OF MILK

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 520, 29 May 1909, Page 5

CARE OF MILK

:pO\W;AND;DAIEY- INSPECTION'BiLLfv .{nt.TßtKfliui'U^paiss'.'jißeodiAfipSr - poi'vn.iain'.i. ■^■:' r ,,V-^- :; : ;'u '.'■".■-,■'■;•• London, May ■ In tho .House of ;■. Commons, Mr; 'John Burns, President of. the Local Government Board, h'as, iniroduoedl a Bill for /tho'Vegis- , tration' 'and/. inspection: .of 'idaifies. and ,th'e examination, b£, cows.,,'/ The.i Bill:, imposes drastic-regulations. ''- : ;\<-\. '>/ < :\f. ■ '■■'" ■'■*■■■■■'■"':- 1 ( ;•/, "PRACTICALLY NOvPRECAUTIONS.": i : v>;:.^;, iifJA.;^ -; : . ; ; ' "Praptically-no/ 'precautions are taken;,by either the farmers or tho.wholesale dealers in 'London to ensure that tho nulls' for,: whioh'tliey are responsible .is' not ■ a vehicle for the veyance of'tuborculbsisi , '.■■.,-'V-! ". .. ,; . •..■.'.■' ."•' ■ .'' ■"■ ■■■',*■■■ '■■ '-' "'■■■■' ' ',!"■' , . ■''. '• ''" Hudb .Percentage Infected, i V ; . , ; , f ' : This : terrible indictmenf,'framed by the Medi-cal-Officer o£.'Health-for the City: of .Lohdon last year, was , (remarked:the YDaily Mail" in February.' last) proved • up -to the: hilt v _ by, ; the• result of,the'first throe months' inspcotioni of milk, samples by the London County CpUncil. Between'.: July .and September 23 .per,'.oent.\.of the'saiiiples examined.wore:found to.bo tuber>! fculous. 'Happily-it appears, tlint the publioitj feivon : to these shocking figures has'had sb'mo effect; upon ! farmers and wholesale dealers. From Obtober to .'January 285 samples wero examined, and .of these' twenty-two, (or, 7.7 pot cent.) were proved., to b«, tubdroulo.us.V This.-is a muoh better petcentage.,' But even- now .the danger to health, especially to the'health-of children, from impure niilk is very alarming. Thousands of Gallons Involved. ■ How niuoh milk, comes into' London daily it was : not found possible to discover. But it is olear that 7.7 per cent, of the whole amount (if we accept that figure as. fairly representative) must be'-.n good many.-.thousands .pf.gallons'. So long as 'there is. tuberculeus milk ; coming into. London, no household is. : safe. : Bioh,- and poor alike aw'liable to contract a distressing and usually ■. fatal complaint;' ' ;V. ,■...,.■ . "We are determhed," said.-Mr. T.' J. Faith-' full' Dayies,'Organising ■secretary to the National Antituberculosis League which has been founded in: England, ''to.keep on making peoplo's flesh creep; in this matter of diseased milk' and meat. At .present , tho inspection of milk , is practloally useless.' Over about three-qnartfrs of tho country the optional, Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milkshops Order has not yet been put in force at all. Even where it is in force it can ea'sily fbe," evaded by sending diseased animals into districts where there is no inspection to fear. ' ■; : , , \ '■'.';.'■ • ': '■■ : ■•■■ •■' .' ■ "What is needed is a mepsuro applicable to tho Whole country which will gradually stamp out. tuberculosis in cattlo altogether.' , Mr. Burns'* Objects. . • : Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr. John Burns, President ibf the Local Government Board, said that "the time ■ had come when we ought to have a larger,' better, and oleanor milk supply, especially in.the intorest.of the children in our large towns,: The question had become a national one! Ho believed, that the, public could bo protected wirhout handicapping' the' 'fnniH-r or harassinpr '.lie dairyman, an.i .t'int thc.iiikrp«t« of the progressive farmer and tho clean ■ oiul; : enterprising- dairytriaii should lead them to co-operate in , ensuring 'for their' trado oleanly and scientific conditions. The Bill which he proposed to bring in would seek to sconre cleanliness, purity, and reliability in the milk supply, and to remove, tho evils of over'lappiiiK jurisdiction, and would deal with the question of compensation in certain cases,,with the conditions of valuation; tho price to.be paid, and a number of other matters. The Government would tnke intp consideration tho. need of London for exceptional treafm.eut on ncmiint of its excentional character and size."