View report page

60
fairly obvious that mussels alone were not the cause of
the trouble. One peculiar circumstance was noted:
the only sufferer from Typhoid Fever, who was of
Jewish persuasion, confessed that, contrary to the
Mosaic law, he had eaten mussels!
In the circumstances I felt it my duty to communicate
with Dr. Collingridge, the Medical Officer of
Health for the City of London, with reference to the
condition of the shell-fish sold in Billingsgate Market,
and I received the following reply to my letter:—
Corporation of London.
Public Health Department,
Guildhall, E.C,
l9th September, 1910.
To the Medical Officer of Health,
Cambridge Road, N.E.
Dear Dr. Bate,
ENTERIC FEVER AND MUSSELS.
In reply to your letter of the 15th instant, the
last time I had occasion to have a bacteriological
examination of mussels made was early in March
of this year, when a sample of Dutch mussels was
found to be polluted.
Acting on my advice, the salesmen in Billingsgate
Market have for some time past insisted that
consignments of mussels from Holland shall be
accompanied by an official certificate that they are
gathered from an unpolluted source.