London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Kensington 1956

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]

This page requires JavaScript

- 53 -
indication of defects in manufacture or handling which warrant further
investigation.
During the year thirty-seven samples of ice cream were taken
and submitted to the methylene blue test. The results are as follows
Grade No. of samples
1 15
2 8
3 2
4 12
Premises in the borough where ice cream is manufactured, stored
or sold were frequently inspected during the year and generally were
found to be in a satisfactory condition, having regard to the Ice Cream
(Heat Treatment, etc.) Regulations, 1947/52.
FOOD POISONING
The Food and Drugs Act, 1955, requires any medical practitioner,
on becoming aware that a person is suffering, or is suspected to be
suffering from food poisoning, to notify the Medical Officer of Health.

The following table shows particulars of notifications received in 1956

Food poisoning notifications (corrected)
First quarter16
Second quarter10
Third quarter28
Fourth quarter9
TOTAL:63
Outbreaks due to identified agents2(17 cases)
Outbreaks of undiscovered causes4(16 cases)
Single cases -
Unknown cause 18
Agent identified 12 Total cases30

Outbreaks due to identified agents (2 outbreaks)
(a) The first outbreak concerned two young children. It was
discovered when a boy aged 4 years suffered moderately severe symptoms
of headache, pain and diarrhoea. Bacteriological examination of his
faeces showed the presence of salmonella miami. Specimens from the
family contacts were examined, and whilst those for the parents were negative,
the one submitted by the patient's sister, aged 14 months, also showed
salmonella miami, although she had suffered no obvious symptoms.
Investigations at the home revealed nothing significant, except
that both children attended a private day nursery each morning. Enquiries
at this establishment showed that the children had only milk and biscuits
during their attendance. Moreover, no other children were absent with
intestinal symptoms. The original patient quickly recovered and both he
and his sister were treated for the eradication of the organism. No