London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Hackney 1903
Report on the sanitary condition of the Hackney District for the year 1903
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purchased in the neighbourhood; and on close inquiry I found that
most of the watercress had been purchased, in 21 instances, from
hawkers in Clarence Road, and in eight instances from a shop in the
same street. The source was not known in two instances. The
watercress was purchased in two cases from a shop in the Lower
Clapton Road, and in one the vegetable was obtained from various
places.
Of the B period, watercress was obtained from the stalls of
hawkers in 20 cases, in 3 cases from various sources, in 2 cases the
source was not known and in the remaining three cases from different
shops in the neighbourhood.
The following Table gives a summary of the above facts relating to the place of purchase of the watercress.
| Where purchased. | Prom street hawkers. | Source not known. | From various places. | From shops in the neighbourhood. | REMARKS. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Cases. | 41 | 4 | 4 | 8 | It is improbable that in the four instances in which the source is not known, and also in those from various sources, the watercress was also purchased from street hawkers. |
c. Bacteriology.—During the progress of the epidemic, and when
my suspicions that watercress was concerned in the spread of enteric
fever, were strengthened by additional evidence, I had samples of
watercress, exposed for sale in Clarence Road, taken and conveyed
to the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, for bacteriological
examination. These samples were reported upon by Dr. Macfadyen,
whose report is included in the subjoined Table. Later when the
second rise of enteric fever set in, I obtained authority from the
Public Health Committee to have further samples of watercress sold
in Hackney examined. Samples were taken on August 31st,
September 2nd and September 8tb. The details concerning these
sampler and the results of examination are to be found in the following
Table.
Table showing results of bacteriological examination of samples of
watercress sold in the Borough of Hackney.