xxr PROCEDURES TO OBTAIN PURE MILK 405 



III. PROTECTION OF MILK FROM SPECIFIC CONTAMINATION 

 WITH THE BACILLI OF THE ACUTE INFECTIOUS DISEASES 



As pointed out in Chapter XVII. the legal powers available 

 for the protection of the public from this group of infections 

 are contained in Article 9 of the Dairies, Cowsheds, and 

 Milkshops Orders, Section 4 of the Infectious Diseases 

 Prevention Act, and Sections 52, 53, 54 of the Public Health 

 Acts Amendment Act 1907. 



Article 9 is very useful, but has several limitations. For 

 example : 



(a) The term "dangerous infectious disorder" is B indefinite. 

 For instance, a person suffering from open phthisis should be 

 included, but such an interpretation is probably not intended 

 in the section. 



(&) The Article does not say who is to judge when infection 

 is at an end. The certificate of the Medical Officer of Health 

 should be required. 



(c) It only becomes operative when the infectious disease 

 is known to be present. There is no power given to the 

 Medical Officer of Health or other official to make inquiries 

 or investigations to determine whether any of the persons 

 associated with the dairy are infectious or suffering from 

 infectious disease. 



(d) The dairyman, under this Article, has not to report 

 the existence of the dangerous infectious disorder. He should 

 be required to notify his suspicions before they become de- 

 finite knowledge, to the Medical Officer of Health.- 



Sections 52-54 of the Amendment Act are very useful, 

 but they have to be adopted. Section 52 is vague. The 

 person suffering, apparently, is in the first place to be the 

 judge as to whether he can carry on his business without risk. 



The need for further powers is, however, especially felt 

 in regard to the control and prevention of milk - borne 

 epidemics originating outside the area of the local authority 

 in which the epidemic exists. For this purpose Section 4 of 

 the Prevention Act has, in general, to be relied upon. This 

 section, on superficial examination, seems to promise much 

 practical assistance, but in practice it is of extremely limited 

 value. Its defects are the following : 



