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[1933
49
of the disease, having also partaken previously. The verdict of the Jury after
careful enquiry was that the child had infected the pudding while taking a portion
out of the receptacle with her finger and this act was responsible for the outbreak.
Nine days had elapsed before this child's blood was tested as it had not been
suspected that she had been near the pudding. In the opinion of the bacteriologist
it was unlikely that the child's blood would have reacted so strongly if the child
had only been infected nine days before. It was recorded that after eating some
of the pudding on Saturday evening the child was quite well until the Monday
about 4.30 p.m., when she came home complaining of abdominal pain and a feeling
of sickness. She had had a school holiday on Monday and the pain and sickness
was ascribed to fried fish with vinegar, and ice cream, and a banana she had eaten.
The pain and discomfort was cleared up by a dose of castor oil. The position
therefore in view of the child's illness is not without an element of doubt, although
the consensus of opinion seems to be that the child's illness was not due to her eating
pease pudding and that she herself had infected the pudding as stated. A fact
deduced as a result of the various bacteriological examinations made of grain and
cereals is the importance of these, and tomatoes, fruit and vegetables, being washed
to remove contamination.
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF MILK.
During the year 1933, twenty-two samples of milk were taken in various parts
of the Borough, as supplied to the consumer. In addition to the bacterial count
to see whether the specimen complied with the Grade, if any, under which it was
sold, the specimens were examined for tubercule bacilli by animal inoculation.
These samples were duly reported and roughly classified as "clean" and "dirty"
milks. Eighteen were "clean" and four "dirty," the report of the bacteriologist
being that in his opinion the samples did not comply with the prescribed conditions.

WATER SOFTENING—BASE EXCHANGE METHOD.
London water is "hard," that is, it contains calcium and magnesium salts
in solution. When the water is used for washing purposes, a much greater quantity
of soap, or washing soda, is required than if rain water were used. When the
water is heated in domestic utensils a chalky deposit known as" fur is left. After
a few years the deposit restricts the flow of water and leads to trouble with the
heating system and hot water supply. Laundries and other works, also restaurants