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73
In 1949 a child of 2 was found to have a Salmonella Typhi-murium
infection and this was believed to have been contracted from hens kept
in a small back yard, possibly through an infected egg. Full details
were published in the monthly Bulletin of the Ministry of Health.
Information reaches the Medical Officer of Health in many other
ways than formal notification and is occasionally from hospitals where
a Salmonella infection has been discovered some time after the event.
Careful laboratory investigations have been made in all cases
including individual cases wherever this has been possible. When a
Salmonella infection has been discovered investigations have been
extended to family contacts.
In 1955 there were 19 cases of food poisoning coming to the
notice of the department. In 2 instances two members of the same
family were involved and the remaining 15 were isolated cases affecting
one individual only.
Salmonella Typhi-murium infection was responsible for 6 cases,
all young children, one an infant of only six weeks. In one case the
infection apparently arose in hospital. In no case was there any
direct evidence of the source of the infection.
In spite of full investigation no cause for the symptoms was discovered
in any of the other cases nor was any particular foodstuff
clearly implicated though several items fell under suspicion.