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18
Two examples of food poisoning occurred during the year.
One was apparently entirely of a domestic nature, whilst the
other took place at a public elementary school.
In the first, two children died as a result of attacks of
Gastro–enteritis and in each case Bacillus Typhi Murium
(Aertrycke) was isolated in pure culture from the stools.
Later it was found in the family of 13 persons ten carried
this organism in the stools for varying periods of time. In
one of these there was a history of intermittent attacks of
abdominal pain and diarrhoea for about a year. Treatment of
three of the most persistent carriers was successful and was
of the nature of a " blunderbus " attack with Sulphaguanidine,
Sulphadiazine, Sulphasuccidine and Penicillin. In the cases
of the other seven carriers of the Bacillus it was found that the
carrier state " died " out in periods varying between one and
three months without treatment.
An epidemic of mild diarrhoea and vomiting was reported
in February from an elementary school– in the Borough.
Forty–eight members of the children and staff complained of
diarrhoea and vomiting with abdominal pains. All had partaken
of a school luncheon consisting of roast beef, yorkshire
pudding and vegetables, followed by prunes and custard.
This meal was delivered at the school immediately before it
was consumed. Enquiries at the kitchen where the meal was
prepared revealed a sorry state of affairs. Bomb damage,
lack of equipment and inadequate supervision of food, during
the cooling period after initial cooking, was painfully obvious.
Although no organism was isolated from any of the affected
persons or from food, I formed the opinion that the luncheon
was responsible.
CORONERS' COURT AND PUBLIC MORTUARY.
There was a slight reduction in the number of bodies
admitted to the Public Mortuary during the year. There
are no unusual facts to report and the work of the staff
continued smoothly and efficiently, as in the previous year.
Six hundred and forty–three bodies were admitted to the
Public Mortuary during the year