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making up the total of forty. At the instance of the
Home Office, portions of the pies, which were supposed to
have been the cause of the fatal termination in the two
cases, were examined by Dr. Stevenson of Guy's Hospital,
both chemically and bacteriologically. No trace, however,
of any poison was found in them. Bacteriologically the
result was practically negative. The true cause of the outbreak
is consequently difficult to trace. The shop where the
pies were bought is, as regards cleanliness and well-being,
beyond reproach, and, speaking generally this remark
also applies to the establishment in the country (which was
visited by Dr. Stevens), where the pies were made, and
from whence they were sent to the shop in this parish.
There is nevertheless no doubt that the poisoning was
due to the pies ; and there are grounds for suspecting that
it was due to the poisonous influence of some as yet undiscovered
living organism which had accidently infected them.
As indicative of the virulence of the poison, it is interesting
to note that two persons suffered who had not actually
eaten of the pies : one, the child, already referred to, who
slept with its parents : the other, a lady who used, in eating
her own dinner, a knife and fork which had also been
employed in cutting up a pork-pie, of which other
members of the family, who were poisoned, partook.
(II.) REPORT ON SMALL-POX
By Dr. Stevens.
"Between December 3rd, 1892, and October
10th, 1893, we received intimations of one hundred and fifty
cases of small-pox. Of these one hundred and fifteen were