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The canteen and kitchens were inspected and it was arranged for urine and
faecal specimens to be taken from all the members of the kitchen and canteen
staffs, 140 in all. These all proved negative.
On 3rd May, 1963, I was informed that a resident in the Borough of Finchley,
also employed by the same organisation, was in hospital with Paratyphoid B.
On 8th May, 1963, I was notified by the Public Health Laboratory that the
three cases in hospital were all Phage type 3B.
The Ministry of Health were notified of the cases, and, having regard to
their memo of 2nd May, 1963, regarding Paratyphoid B type Taunton, special
enquiries were made regarding the possible use of Chinese bulked egg. The Canteen
Manager stated that none of this substance was used, only whole eggs, either
English or Polish, were used and albumen which had been imported from Holland.
Samples of this albumen and various "mixes" used in the kitchen were submitted
for examination—all with negative results.
The three cases duly returned to work and no further cases were reported.
The source of infection is still not known.
Case "B"
On 15th May, 1963, I received a message that a girl living in Kensington and
working in a food factory in this Borough had been admitted to the Western Isolation
Hospital suffering from Paratyphoid "B".
The onset was given as 27th April, 1963. She complained of malaise and
was admitted to a General Hospital on 2nd May, 1963. Two urine specimens
showed coliform organisms and a third showed positive Paratyphoid B. She was
then transferred to the Isolation Hospital.
She was stated to have worked at the particular food factory until 26th April,
and then transferred to another food factory on 29th April, 1963, but only worked
there on that day and the following day. It was found that at the first food
factory her hands were protected when dealing with the food products and in the
second factory very little handling of the finished article took place.
There were no other suspects among the staff of the first factory and no
abnormal sick absences in either factory.
The Public Health Laboratory were of opinion that no further action was
called for and the Ministry of Health on being informed of the facts concurred
with this view.
I arranged with the Medical Officers of both factories to be kept in touch with
any further developments. There have been none.
In this case I was informed that the infection had been typed as Phage type 1.
Case "C"
On 9th May, 1963, I received a communication from the Medical Officer of
Health for Hendon informing me that a resident in his Borough was suffering from
Paratyphoid B Taunton.
It had not been possible to trace the source of infection but the Ministry of
Health had suggested that Chinese bulked egg products might be responsible, and
the patient had informed the Medical Officer of Health that she ate some doughnuts
at an exhibition held in this Borough.
Enquiries were made and it was found that the doughnuts in question were
made at the exhibition and sold direct to the public but no Chinese egg was used
in the "mix" from which they were made.