[Report 1953] / School Medical Officer of Health, North Riding of Yorkshire County Council, Scarborough Divisional Executive.

  • North Riding of Yorkshire (England). County Council (Scarborough Divisional Executive)
Date:
1953
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1953] / School Medical Officer of Health, North Riding of Yorkshire County Council, Scarborough Divisional Executive. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Grade No. taken Methylene Blue Test Phosphatase Test Biological examination f. | Remarks | Passed Failed Passed Failed Tb. Neg. Tb. Pos. j 23 samples not M.B. tested. 1 sample not tested. Pasteurised 882 815 43 875 5 5 — Tuberculin Tested 131 3 — — — 127 — 4 not examined. Accredited 4 — — — 3 1 — Non- designated 99 1 3 — 1 94 — 3 not examined. Note :—Where samples are listed above as not having been tested, this was due to atmospheric shade temperature in excess of 65° Fahr., souring of milk and/or death of guinea pig from intercurrent infection prior to completion of biological examination. I The presence of tubercle bacilli in a sample of £ accredited ’ school milk was reported to the Divisional Veterinary Officer of the Ministry of Agricul¬ ture and Fisheries. Although his inspection of the herd did not disclose any infected animal, he found that a cow which had been in the herd when the sample was taken had since been slaughtered. The induration of the udder from which this cow had suffered was highly suggestive of a tuberculous infection. Quite apart from tuberculosis, the supervision of school milk supplies is of importance in relation to other infections which may arise from the consumption of contaminated milk. For example haemolytic streptococci were found in a ‘ non-designated ’ milk sample. The inspection of the herd by the Divisional Veterinary Officer disclosed a cow suffering from mastitis. This animal was slaughtered and the examination of subsequent samples of milk gave satisfactory results. Once more during 1953 several school milk supplies were found to contain brucella abortus.” This organism gives rise to undulant fever in susceptible individuals. The disease, though seldom lethal, can cause prolonged ill-health. The organism is destroyed by milk pasteurisation. Pending elimination of this infection from the herds concerned, the milk supplies in question were heat-treated. On a day in October, 1953, 25,910 pupils were taking school meals compared with a corresponding figure of 28,817 in 1952 and 27,568 in 1951, The extent of the Committee’s catering activities in 1953 can be seen from the following table.