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so all those at risk in the ten wards, a total of some 400 persons,
were swabbed with the result that a further number of patients
and staff were found to be symptomless carriers.
There were in all 27 people involved of whom thirteen patients,
five nurses, a ward maid and two kitchen staff had symptoms while
the remaining six had no symptoms.
All cases were fortunately mild, only some abdominal pain and
diarrhoea occasionally accompanied by blood and mucous. Nausea
was uncommon and vomiting exceedingly rare. There were no
deaths.
The outbreak illustrates once again how readily infection can
be spread by food handlers who from whatever cause, be it forgetfulness
or sheer laziness, omit to follow the dictates of elementary
cleanliness and prepare food for others without washing hands
after using the W.C.
The Bacteriological department of the hospital under the able
direction of Dr. A. C. Cunliffe were responsible for the laboratory
investigations and carried out the task of examining over 400 anal
swabs with commendable speed and accuracy.
Smoke Emission
During the year complaints were received on 23 occasions of the
nuisance caused by smoke from factory shafts. Observations were
made on 74 occasions which were followed by the service of two
intimation and one nuisance notices. Manufacturers have suffered
under severe handicaps in past years since the war due to ageing
plant for which permits for renewal could be obtained only with
great difficulty, and from the poor quality of the fuel supplied
over which they have had no control and little remedy.
The chief offender in the emission of smoke however is the chimney
of the private dwellinghouse which is specifically excluded from
the ambit of the law. A start towards the reduction of smoke
might well be made by prohibiting the installation in a new building
of any fuel burning contrivance which does not consume any
smoke which it may produce. But this would not prevent the
production of sulphur dioxide which causes most of the damage
to the stonework of buildings.
Slaughterhouses
Only one licenced slaughterhouse remains in the district and
here slaughtering was carried out on seven occasions only on each
of which an inspector was present on the receipt of the statutory
notice of intention to slaughter.