454 THE CONTROL OF THE MILK SUPPLY 



controlling and protecting the milk supply. The second chapter 

 on this subject deals with the control by private enterprise. The 

 third portion deals with what can be done by the trade in respect 

 to — {a) milk herds ; (b) the housing of milk herds ; {c) milkers and 

 milking ; and (^) the after treatment of the milk, and the suitable 

 conditions of its sale. 



Legislation in) England and Wales 



The legislation now in force in the United Kingdom in respect 

 to the protection of milk had its origin, as far as Acts of Parlia- 

 ment are concerned, in the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act of 

 1878, which authorised the Privy Council to make such general 

 or special orders as seemed desirable for the purpose of registra- 

 tion and inspection of the trade of cowkeeping and dairying The 

 main object was to insure sanitation and cleanliness, and for pre- 

 scribing precautions to be taken for protecting milk against specific 

 infection or contamination.^ This power conferred upon the Privy 

 Council was subsequently transferred to the Local Government 

 Board. In London the substance of these enactments was placed 

 in the hands of the Metropolitan Board of Works (afterwards 

 the London County Council) and the Corporation of the City of 

 London.'^ 



Under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act of 1878, the 

 Privy Council therefore drew up an Order for these purposes. It 

 was called the Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milk-shops Order, 1885,^ and 

 it is the only legislative measure wholly dealing with the protection 

 of the milk supply. It revoked the first Order of 1879, and applies 

 to England, Wales, and Scotland. The chief matters dealt with are 

 — {a) the registration of all milk dealers ; iU) the construction and 

 water supply of new dairies and cowsheds, with special reference to 

 lighting, ventilation, etc. ; {c) the health and good condition of the 

 cattle therein, the cleanliness of milk utensils, and the protection of 

 milk against infection derived from persons suffering from infectious 

 diseases ; {d) the position of water-closets or privies in relation to the 

 dairy or milk-shop ; ie) regulations for a variety of sanitary matters 

 to be made and enforced by the local authority ; and (/) disease 

 among cattle. Some question was raised after this Order came into 

 force in 1 886, and after the power had been transferred from the Privy 

 Council to the Local Government Board, and to the Local Authori- 



1 See Appendix B, p. 550 ; Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1878, Sec. 34. 

 "^ See Appendix C, p. 551 ; Public Health (London) Act, 1891, Sec. 28. 

 ^ See Appendix D, p. 555. 



