Report / Committee on Cattle Diseases.

  • Great Britain. Committee on Cattle Diseases.
Date:
1934
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report / Committee on Cattle Diseases. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    43/166 (page 41)
    Al this class), to build up herds which are entirely free from disease. Such a policy, though it may be followed by an individual farmer, generally requires some form of official supervision. 104. Finally, the state may improve the general standard of hygienic care among farmers. There are, however, limitations to such a policy, for the state must, in the main, rely upon advice and persuasion. Considerable advances have already been secured by such means. 105. Various measures may be adopted to provide the consumer with a safer milk supply. Where the danger to public health arises from a disease of the cow the public may be protected by three means of varying efficiency. First, disease may be eliminated from the cows. This is only possible if the presence of disease can be determined at an early stage by a test. Fortunately the presence of bovine tuberculosis, which is the disease most dangerous to public health, may be so determined. Secondly, the milk supply may be protected to some extent by the removal from milking herds of cows found to be giving infected milk. These may be discovered by bacteriological or microscopical examination of the milk, and by the examination of the cow itself for clinical symptoms, associated with the giving of infected milk. These are well known to experienced veterinary surgeons. Thirdly, it is possible to render infected milk safe for human consumption by certain forms of heat treatment which destroy the organisms responsible for causing disease in man. ‘These forms of treatment affect the constitution of milk in varying degrees. A satisfactory form must not only be an effective safeguard against infection, but also must not affect adversely the nutritive properties of milk, nor must it, if possible, affect the commercial properties which influence the sale of milk, such as taste, colour and the power of forming a “‘cream line.’’ It is contended that the process of pasteurisation, as at present defined by the Ministry of Health, fulfils these requirements. 106. Protection against diseases which may be introduced into the milk from human sources is afforded by scrupulous cleanliness in the handling of milk, and by the prohibition of persons suffering from diseases communicable by milk, or who are carriers of such diseases, from being concerned in the handling of milk at any stage. It is, however, impossible to insist on precautions which will eliminate all danger from this direction. Additional protection may be obtained by a satisfactory form of heat treatment. The later the stage at which this is applied, the greater is the protection to the consumer. (a) Existing legislation in regard to diseases of animals. 107. Under the diseases of animals act, 1894, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has not only special powers of control of