Abstract

At the end of the nineteenth century the relationship between bovine tuberculosis and human tuberculosis was a hotly debated topic on the international stage. The risk of tuberculosis transmission to humans via contaminated milk supplies was a serious threat to the public health and Britain's imperialist power. The manner in which a safe milk supply was obtained was a long-drawn-out process. This article attempts to investigate how a safe milk supply was obtained by using Birmingham, an example of an urban authority seeking to control their milk supply. After a brief look at the discussions surrounding bovine tuberculosis and the development of British legislation aimed at ensuring a safe milk supply, this article will examine the milk situation in Birmingham. The development of bacteriology and the professionalisation of the Medical Officers of Health allowed them to become a well-informed, persuasive group campaigning for clean milk. By primarily exploring Medical Officer of Health reports, this article will show that a small network of individuals played a central role in persuading the majority that a clean milk supply was both essential to maintaining the public health and achievable.

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