Mexborough and Swinton Times, January 28, 1927

Clean Milk
A Wombwell Campaign
“Grade A.” Methods
How to Ensure Purity
Visit to a Model Dairy Farm

Crates of Bottles Packed in the Steriliser

Bottle Washing Department of a Grade “A” Farm.
The bottles are scoured by a revolving brush

For some time past the Health Department of the Wombwell Urban District Council has been concentrating upon the milk problem.

The medical Officer (Mr J.C.Pickup) and the Sanitary Inspector (Mr H Ward) has devoted a great deal of attention to this, and important reforms have already been affected. The importance of pure milky are gradually dawning on the public, and Dr pickup’s efforts are bearing fruit. Wombwell may claim to the leading the way in this important question.

Dr Pickup is now able to announce that Grade A milk is now produced in the town. He says:

“The milk is there, and people can now have it if they demand it. As the demand increases the supply will increase. I hope see the day when all the local farmers who produce it, and when no milk other than the grade A standard will be sold in the town.”

What is Grade A milk? Dr Pickup tells us:

“Grade A milk is producing cows which have to be very frequently examine so that any cow commencing with tuberculosis is at once eliminated from the herd. The cow sheds are re-modelled on modern lines, the cows clipped and groomed, and the teats are washed before each milking.

The milkers wash their hands and wear white overalls, and all milk vessels are sterilised. The milk then is gradually cooled and bottled and sealed (with the farmers name, the date of production, and the words ‘Grade A’ printed on the seal  cap).

A maximum standard of germs allowed in milk is by law set up, and it is only if the milk is always under the standard that the farmer is – and the licence – allowed to sell the milk as Great A milk.

Grade A milk is – on account of its comparable freedom from germs – much purer than ordinary milk, and when people realise that nearly all the cases of tuberculosis of glands, joints and bowels in children come from drinking ineffective milk, the inference is obvious.

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