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41
On Saturday morning, the 16th June, I received a telephone
message from a local doctor informing me that he had been called
to see two families who, in his opinion, were suffering from food
poisoning, and that the particular article suspected was silverside of
beef purchased, already cooked, at a local shop. A member of each
family affected had purchased on the previous evening, the ISth
June, silverside of beef at the same time, from the same tray, and
from the same shop. That evening each family consisting of husband
and wife had for supper silverside of beef, lettuce, cucumber and rice
pudding. About two hours after partaking of supper, all four were
seized with severe sickness, vomiting and diarrhoea. The doctor also
informed me that his partner had been called to see a family, consisting
of husband and wife, with similar symptoms.
As the circumstances were suspicious, enquiries were made to
find out whether, by chance, any of the suspected beef was left over
from the previous evening's supper in any of the affected households.
A portion was obtained from one house and sent to the
Council's Bacteriologist for examination. At the same time, a visit
was paid to the shop where the suspected meat was purchased. The
shop is one of four branch shops, three of which were in other
districts. It was ascertained that the supplies were obtained from a
depot in Camberwell, and, in the case of silverside of beef, it was
delivered at the Lewisham branch daily in slabs of approximately
10 lbs., each wrapped in grease-proof paper.
It was supplied at the
following times and in the following quantities on Friday and Saturday,
the ISth and 16th June: —
Time
No. of
Silversides
Weight
Friday,
8.30 a.m.
3
28½ lbs.)
57½lbs.
ISth June
11.0 a.m.
2
20 „
3.30 p.m.
1
9
7„
Saturday,
8.0 a.m.
2
21½ lbs. ]
| 78½ lbs.
16th June
10.30 a.m.
4
45 „
3.0 p.m.
1
12 „