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15
Samples of ice-cream (42) examined for bacterial content as prescribed in the Ice-Cream (Heat Treatment)
Regulations gave the following results. Two ice " lollies " (not graded) were also examined.
Grade 1 8 Grade 3 10
Grade 2 16 Grade 4 8
Nine other samples of various foods were submitted for examination in connection with food poisoning
investigations. These were eggs, stewed steak (canned), trifle, steak and kidney pudding (canned), cream buns, chocolate
eclairs, lettuce, cooked veal and mussels. A heavy growth of staphylococcus aureus was found in the trifle; no
pathogenic organisms were found in the other samples.
Food poisoning.—During the year 41 cases of Food Poisoning or Suspected Food Poisoning were notified and
investigated.
Among the notified cases of food poisoning during the year there was one which caused the greatest alarm in the
Department, but fortunately it did not become the cause of a wide-spread infection. A five weeks' old child was admitted
to hospital on the 28th August, passing blood per rectum. Clinically the child appeared fit, but cultures of the stools
showed the presence of Salmonella Thompson. A course of Chloromycetin, extending over a period of ten days, failed to
remove the organisms, although the child ceased to pass blood and appeared fairly normal. On the 15th September
the child was discharged from hospital and Salmonella Thompson was still present; and on the 21st September a letter
was received from the House Surgeon giving the above information. This letter seems to have been an afterthought,
as the House Surgeon stated that it was on the instructions of the Pathologist that we were notified of the case.
Our worry at having a known excreta of Salmonella Thompson at large for six days was increased when a visit
was paid to the premises at which the child resided. The child lived in a house which had become a multi-occupied
one, and there were in all some twenty-one persons—fifteen adults and six children—occupying this house. Technically
there were two water-closets, but as one was situated in a yard and was not used there was in actual practice only one
water-closet. Fortunately the mother of the child was scrupulously clean, and although she had been taking no special
precautions in washing the napkins we did know her to be domestically clean. Of the fifteen adults seven were engaged
in the food trade. There were five waiters, one kitchen hand and a porter in a butter store—the last being the father
of the sick child. The child was immediately removed to an isolation hospital, and to our relief all other bacteriological
tests in the house were negative.
That no serious outbreak resulted from this one case can only be attributed to good fortune, and once again that
great obstacle to adequate investigation of food poisoning was present, namely slowness of notification.

Note.—There are 103 shops registered for the sale of milk. 160 premises registered for the
sale of ice-cream and 90 pubic house hold catering licnces from the Ministry of Food.

Animal Food Dealers:—
There are two cats' meat shops and one cats' meat stall in the Borough.

Note.—There are an unknown number of residential establishments (probably several hundreds)
which provide meals to residents on their books, but which do not hold catering licences.