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Certificates of Vaccination and Inoculation - Authentication
Ministry of Health Circular 60/48.
Applications for authentication dealt with by the Medical Officer of Health
numbered 9,002 as against 2,241 for the previous year. The applications comprised
requests for authentication of International Certificates of Vaccination and
Inoculation against smallpox, yellow fever, cholera etc., and constituted a substantial
item of work. The large increase was accounted for by the fact that many continental
countries required evidence of current vaccination from British travellers consequent
upon the outbreak of variola minor in the Midlands.
Food Poisoning

There were three outbreaks during the year to be reported to the Ministry of
Health in accordance with Memo. 188 Med. of the Ministry of Health.

Outbreak Reports
Information was received in mid-April of fifteen cases occurring amongst staff
of a Company in the Borough.
Onset of symptoms commenced approximately eight hours after consumption of
stewed mutton. This had been purchased around 10.00 a.m. the same day, put on to cook
at 11.00 a.m., and according to information, was stewed for approximately two hours.
It was served almost immediately from 1.00 p.m.
Some of this stewed mutton was left over, and kept in a refrigerator overnight.
This was sampled, and found to contain heat resistant C1. Welchii.
Some raw mutton also sampled at the same time, and part of the original purchase
delivered the previous day, showed no food poisoning organisms present; neither were
any organisms found from faecal specimens obtained from the fifteen cases.
The probable origin of infection or contamination of the food was not definitely
ascertained, although it would seem likely that the method of preparation may have
allowed C1. Welchii to survive in sufficient numbers to cause the food poisoning.
A report was also received, in early July, of an outbreak of suspected food
poisoning occurring in the Directors' Dining Room of another Company in the Borough.
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