Report of the Medical Officer of Health on the public health and sanitary circumstances of Johannesburg.

  • Johannesburg (South Africa)
Date:
[1936]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Medical Officer of Health on the public health and sanitary circumstances of Johannesburg. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    34/48 (page 32)
    Applications by Dairy Farmers for Licences to Retail Milk -in Johannesburg. Applications received ... ... ... ••• 58 Applications granted ... ... ... ... 58 Licences to retail milk within the city are taken out by dairy farmers, who find it more profitable to sell direct to the consumer than to deliver in wholesale quantities to milk depot owners. Inspection of Farm Dairies. Regular and systematic inspections were carried out on all dairies in which milk was produced and supplied to Johannesburg. The results of these inspections were carefully recorded and any infringe¬ ment of the Dairy By-laws dealt with immediately. The number of inspections made was 1,869, an increase of 106 over the preceding year. Plans drawn in accordance with the requirements of the Council’s Dairy By-laws were supplied gratuitously to dairy farmers contem¬ plating the construction of buildings for dairying purposes. Score-card Inspections. Under this system 45 farm dairies, licensed to retail milk in Johannesburg, were scored quarterly. The scores ranged from 76 to 94 per cent. Confrol of Milk Supplies. Periodical inspections were made at all railway stations inside Johannesburg and on the main roads leading to the City, of all supplies of milk consigned to Johannesburg. Five supplies from unpermitted sources were discovered; further supplies from these sources were immediately prohibited. Tests for Visible Dirt in Milk. This test, which is applied by passing a pint of milk through a cotton wool pad of small area, thereby arresting and rendering visible all solid impurities, was applied to 569 consignments of milk arriving at railway stations within the city or at the source of production. The results were:—• Clean ... 462 Fair 92 Dirty . 15 Fifteen farmers were warned by letter that proceedings' for cancellation of their permit would be instituted without further notice should they in future introduce into Johannesburg milk containing visible dirt. Typhoid Carrier Test. One hundred and thirty-one persons (one white and 130 natives) engaged in the production or handling of milk, submitted themselves to the Widal Test. Eight natives were found to be positive carriers of typhoid. All were removed from the dairy premises on which they were employed to the Municipal Native Hospital for treatment. We wish to express our appreciation of the efficient manner in which the great majority of dairy farmers endeavour to produce pure, wholesome milk of good quality for the Johannesburg market. There are, however, a small number of Europeans engaged in milk production, who seem to regard dairying as a business, in which cleanliness need not be practised, and the maximum gain may be obtained without attention or expenditure. We desire to thank the railway officials at Johannesburg, Mayfair and Jeppe Stations for their willing assistance and co-operation in connection with the testing and inspection of milk on railway property. G. CHRISTIE, JAS. W. FORRETT, Farm Dairy Inspectors.