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These reports make it perfectly clear that these tins of peas were
not sterile, as stated before the learned Magistrate in Court, and
that there was in the consignment, agent or agents capable under
favourable conditions of setting up fermentation and putrefaction in
the peas. These favourable conditions were apparently in operation
in respect of the seven tins which were turned bad and which we
seized. My previous opinion receives in these two reports very
striking and complete confirmation.
It is now abundantly evident that we were correct in our view
that the seven tins examined by four of us were, in fact, unsound, in
spite of the statements that they could not have been so, made by
persons who had never seen them.
The case clearly illustrates the importance of thorough sterilisation
of tinned goods. Further, it becomes evident that in all such
cases each tin must be examined and judged on its own merits, and
to draw conclusions on certain tins kept under other conditions than
the condition of tins in the same consignment, as the defendants
and their witnesses did in this instance, is fallacious.
CHEESE POISONING.
On Tuesday, August 4th, I received information from Dr. Roe, of
Old Street, that he had had a case of food poisoning, into which he
thought some enquiry should be made. I therefore made a full
investigation of the case, upon which I may briefly report.
James W., aged 53, of Radsworth Street, Carman, Midland
Railway Company, Whitecross Street Station, was first taken ill on
Saturday morning, August 1st. He arose about 7 a.m. and had a
cup of tea and went to work. At It 30 he returned for breakfast,
which consisted of tea, bread and butter and cheese (about 2 ounces).
He went out again about 11 a.m , and in between one and two
hours time was taken ill, and found it necessary to leave work early.
The symptoms of his illness consisted in frequent vomiting, extreme
pallor, faintness, colic pains and profuse diarrhoea. The onset was
sudden and the symptoms very severe. The patient reached home
early in the afternoon, and went to bed. His condition became
steadily worse. He suffered from pains in the legs, loss of voice,