1909 



MILK COMMISSION. 



The administration of this by-law has been in charge of Dr. Eobert Law, 

 Medical Health Officer, and Dr. Hollingsworth, Chief Food Inspector and Veteri- 

 narian, and from what we were able to see the by-law is being well administered 

 with splendid results. 



About six thousand gallons are consumed daily in the city, coming from 

 140 farms within a radius of 10 miles. The milk is sold for six cents a quart 

 in summer and eight cents in winter, a small quantity of certified milk being sold 

 at ten cents a quart. Thus far the demand for this has been so small that it 

 is sold at a financial loss. Over sixty per cent, of the Ottawa milk supply is 

 handled by one firm, which has a large, modern, well equipped distributing plant. 

 Maintaining a -veterinarian and doing inspection of its own, it has been an import- 

 ant factor in improving conditions. Last year it installed a pasteurizing plant 

 with a holding device, so that since that time all the milk has been pasteurized at 

 about 147 degree F. for thirty minutes. 



The Department of Health is equipped with a laboratory wherein bacteriologi- 

 cal counts as well as quantitative analyses are made. During 1908, of 411 samples 

 examined, an average of 150,000 bacteria per cc. was found. During the first 

 ten months of 1909, over 1,300 samples were examined for quantitative standard, 

 and only 36 were found deficient in butter fat, the average being well over three 

 per cent. Of 400 samples from June to October, the average butter fat was 4.2 

 and total solids 13.10. The following are a few figures: 



But the feature in connection with the Ottawa supply is the condition of the 

 herds and the stabling, to which reference is made in another page. 



In answer to questions, Dr. Law expressed the following views on the milk 

 question : 



"A minimum standard of butter fat is practical and necessary and should 

 not be lower than 3 per cent, butter fat and 12 per cent, total solids. 



" Pasteurization under present conditions offers one of the readiest methods 

 of securing a safe milk supply. In the absence of proper means on a large scale, 

 household pasteurization can be carried out. 



"Has the tuberculin test been tried here? Yes, in five herds; and especially 

 in a large herd of registered Jerseys the number reacting *was large. 



" As to the general prevalence of tuberculosis, I am unable to give a definite 

 opinion. 



