Analysis of Sour Milk. 



395 



Analysis of Sour Milk. 



In connection with the circular recently issued by the Board 

 on the analysis of sour milk*, it is considered desirable to give 

 publicity to the following correspondence between the Public 

 Health Department of the Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey 

 and the Principal Chemist of the Government Laboratory. 



I. 



From Medical Officer of Health, Bermondsey, to Principal 

 Chemist, Government Laboratory. 

 " Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey, 

 " Public Health Department, 



" Town Hall, Lower Road, S.E. 



" October 19th, 1903. 

 " Sir, — The circular letter of August 17th from the Board of 

 Agriculture, regarding the analysis of sour milk in the Govern- 

 ment Laboratory, was referred to our Public Analyst for 

 comment and afterwards to me. 



"The Public Analyst stated he considered the results ' are, on 

 the whole, satisfactory, but it must be borne in mind that they 

 were, no doubt, obtained under the most favourable conditions/ 

 but ' these conditions are not always present in the case of 

 samples taken under the Act.' As a remedy, he suggests that 

 the bottles which the Inspectors keep should be provided with 

 indelible labels, and pasteurised or sterilised to prevent them 

 going sour. 



" In commenting upon his letter I took the position that it 

 might be considered by the defendants into interfering with the 

 milk. In the second place, it would require somewhat greater 

 expense ; and, thirdly, I did not think it necessary, since, 

 according to the report of the Government Analysts, the 

 changes are definite which take place in milk, and can be 

 allowed for ; and that, with proper collection and storage of the 

 samples, no changes need take place which interfere with the 

 analysis. 



" I further reported to the Public Health Committee of this 



* Journal, Sept., 1903, Vol. x., p. 230. 



