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26
An additional factor of some interest in the investigation of the spread of the
outbreak was the very severe winter experienced at the time. Several of the older
schools had lavatories, wash basins etc., frozen up. One school in particular, with a
large number of dysentery cases, had to be closed for several days.
All cases were visited by the Infectious Diseases Visitors and, whenever possible,
examination of the stool specimens were arranged with the Public Health Laboratory,
County Hall, S.E. 1. As mentioned elsewhere in the report, 8,582 specimens were sent
during the year, for Dysentery alone.
It will be seen from the dysentery table on page 27 that, arising out of these
enquiries 33 dysentery cases were found to be employed as food handlers and 137
were food handlers who were direct or indirect contacts of dysentery cases.
An interesting factor that emerges from these tables year by year, is of a steady
falling off intheuunber of cases that are being formally notified by medical
practitioners.