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(b) by applying these measures in general to persons
shown to be carriers of these diseases as well as to persons
suffering from them;
(c) by preventing such persons (in either class) not only
from continuing employment involving the handling of food,
as formerly, but also from entering such employment; and
(d) by enabling a local authority to authorise the medical
officer of health to issue notices in emergency, in order to
check the spread of these diseases.
Food Poisoning.
Thirty-one cases occurred as compared with thirty-nine for
the previous year. This total includes two outbreaks (three in
one family and 10 employees of a large food factory). There
were no deaths.
In four cases Salmonella Typhi Murium were identified as
the responsible organisms. Responsible organisms were not
identified in the remaining cases.
Foods alleged to have been involved included cold roast
beef, roast pork, sausage sandwich, liver sausage, cream cakes,
fish and chips and stuffed ox hearts and sauce.
With regard to the two outbreaks, one was entirely of a
domestic nature, whilst the other occurred amongst the employees
of a food factory who had taken a meal in the firm's
canteen, which included stuffed ox heart with sauce.
The symptomatology was in all cases mild, but an interesting
feature was that there was little or no vomiting. Few, if
any, of the cases affected had to stay away from their work.
Investigations carried out were all negative except that
co-agulase positive staphylococci were recovered from cuts on
two of the chef's fingers. A number of cases were examined
bacteriologically but no pathogen was discovered in any case.
The opinion was formed that this was an example of a
staphylococcal heat resistant toxin outbreak.
Medicinal Baths.
The Medicinal Baths in Scotts Road, Shepherds Bush, provide
for the cleansing of verminous persons, etc., and for the
treatment of scabies, impetigo, psoriasis, and other forms of
dermatitis.
The figures showing the numbers dealt with during the year
will be found on reference to the table in the Statistical
Supplement.