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
Kensington 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough.
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70
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 gives a summary of all cases (notified or not) brought to notice during 1962:-
| Food poisoning notifications (corrected) | |
|---|---|
| First quarter | 4 |
| Second quarter | 5 |
| Third quarter | 5 |
| Fourth quarter | |
| TOTAL: | 18 |
| Cases otherwise ascertained | |
| Fatal cases: | Nil |
Particulars of outbreaks:-
| No. of outbreaks | No. of cases | Total cases | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Outbreaks | Other Outbreaks | Notified | Otherwise ascertained | ||
| Agent identified | 1 | 2 | 3 | 34 | 37 |
| Agent unidentified | - | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
Single cases:-
| No. of cases | Total cases | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Notified | Otherwise ascertained | ||
| Agent identified | 3 | - | 3 |
| Agent unidentified | 10 | — | 10 |
Outbreaks due to identified agent (three outbreaks)
Cl. Welchii
Nineteen residents of a hostel were affected in the first
outbreak, all having partaken of an evening meal which included meat
cooked on the previous day and reheated for this meal. Six residents
submitted faecal specimens for bacteriological examination, and
Cl. welchii was found in all cases. It is presumed that the reheated
meat was the source of the outbreak.
In the second outbreak fifteen members of the staff of a
hospital hostel suffered from diarrhoea with no vomiting. Faecal
specimens were submitted for bacteriological examination, and in one
case (a food handler) was Cl. welchii isolated.
Salmonella bredenay
In the third outbreak, two adults (man and wife) were
admitted to hospital with high temperature and abdominal upset.
Investigations failed to show the source of infection.