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Seven directors ate lunch before a Board Meeting, and six became ill three to
five hours later with vomiting and diarrhoea. One of these, who was seriously ill,
was admitted to an isolation hospital.
The lunch included fillet of sole (fresh) served on crabmeat (tinned) with
Hollandaise sauce.
This fish course was not eaten by the director who remained well, and in addition,
this meal which was left over, was shared between the canteen manageress and the
directors' waitress, who subsequently developed slight symptoms.
Samples of the crabmeat isolated Staphylococcal Aureus which proved untypable.
Staphylococcal Aureus was also identified from the nose and stools of four
kitchen staff, but the phage type was either different or untypable.
It was considered, therefore, not reasonable to suggest that the kitchen staff
had in any way infected the food products. Also, the Hollandaise sauce had not been
prepared for a sufficient time for any possible staphylococci to produce enterotoxin.
The tentative hypothesis is that the staphylococci entered the can via seepage
during the canning process.
It has been pointed out that regulations for canning in this country are not
necessarily observed in foreign products.
This particular can came from the U. S. S. R.
Information was received on the afternoon of Wednesday, 21st September. 1966.
that some persons had been ill after eating meat pie on Tuesday, 20th September, 1966.
At least two persons were very ill and received medical attention. The food in
question was supplied from a canteen and investigations carried out revealed that the
meat pie had been supplied to sixty-eight persons on that day. The remainder had
received lamb chops. All the people who had been taken ill had eaten meat pie.
It was ascertained that the meat pie was originally cooked and served in the
Canteen on Monday, 19th September, and that no illness had been reported from any
members of the staff. A portion of the meat pie was left over on Monday and was
apparently kept on a tray on the oven in the canteen overnight. It was simply
covered with a cloth. Although refrigerators were available, these were not used for
storing this pie, as they were alleged to be full.
The pie was then re-heated the following day, namely Tuesday, the 20th September
and was used to make up the number of meals. The canteen manager was interviewed and
informed of the facts. The canteen manager subsequently made enquiries in the canteen,
and confirmed this information. The saving of left-over meat pie was contrary to the
instructions given to the canteen staff, and furthermore, although it had been agreed
in the past to save a specimen meal each day for a period of twenty four hours for
subsequent examination if the need should arise, the specimen to be kept in the
refrigerator, these instructions had been disregarded. Further information from the
recipients disclosed that there were finally twelve who reported symptoms of food
poisoning which included diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain or discomfort.
Faecal specimens were examined from four of those ill and heat resistant Cl. Welchii
was isolated from three of these specimens.
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