[Report 1937] / Medical Officer of Health, Sheffield City.

  • Sheffield (England). City Council.
Date:
1937
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1937] / Medical Officer of Health, Sheffield City. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    202/208 (page 198)
    Abattoir Laboratory. The laboratory attached to the Abattoir was used for the examination of a large number of samples arising out of the inspection of meat and other foods. ELIMINATION OF TUBERCULOUS INFECTION FROM THE MILK SUPPLY OF THE CITY. The activities in connection with the elimination of Tuberculous Infection from the City Milk Supply were controlled by two methods which are supplementary to one another. The methods used were :— (a) Systematic routine clinical examination of all milch cows in the City. (b) The biological testing of bulk samples of milk. The powers for the necessary administrative duties in this connection arc conferred by ]\lilk and Dairies (Consolidation: Act, 1915. ,, ., (Amendment) Act, 1922. „ „ Order, 1926. Milk (Special Designations) Order 1936. Tuberculosis Order, 1925. Veterinary duties in relation to diseases of animals under the Diseases of Animals Acts, 1894 to 1935 are also included. Milk from the City Herds. At the end of 1937 there were 140 registered milk producers having approximately 1,850 milch cow's on their premises. The herds, as is commonly the case in and around heavily populated areas, are known as “ flying herds ” because large numbers of heavy milking cows are constantly being added to them in order to replace those animals which become dry and which are, as a general rule, sold fat to the butcher. It is amongst cows of this class that the highest incidence of tuberculosis is found. Whilst the quarterly examination of milch cows is considered to be the minimum frequency as applied to the country generally, it is obvious in the case of “ flying herds that this is not sufficient and the aim of this department is systematically to examine the City dairy cows at intervals of not greater than 6 weeks. As from the beginning of the year what has now come to be known as “ post-clinical herd sampling ” has been practised. The method, described very briefly, is that at the conclusion of the clinical examination of each cow a sample of secretion is taken from each teat of each cow and bulked together. The milk thus obtained from the several herds examined during one day is again hulked and the sample is submitted to the biological test. In this way each day’s work is controlled and the method, properly carried out, ensures that any cow Avhich has been * * missed ’ ’ at the clinical examination often tuberculous disea.se of the udder is in the pre-clinical stage—will be found as a result of the guinea-pig test. All the herds in the City were examined 6 times during the year and this means that, in addition to the clinical examination, the milk from each herd was submitted to the biological test a corresponding number of times.