View report page

95
Wilts, and one of the local medical officers, and received replies next
mornins: confirming the conclusion that the milk liad come from the
o o
depot suspected, hut stating that no cases of scarlet fever or any illness
had been notified by any of the farmers. The farms, 31 in number, are
situated in two counties, Wilts and Dorset. Inquiries were at once set
on foot, and eventually a farm was found with five persons suffering
from scarlet fever. Apparently four had such slight symptoms that the
nature of the illness was not recognised until the fifth one developed the
disease in more typical form. Meanwhile, in case other purveyors in
Westminster might receive any of the suspected milk, Dr. Allan, on the
night of the 17th, stopped all the milk from this particular depot
coming into Westminster and we are pleased to be able to report that
thereafter no further cases occurred which could be attributed to milk.
"The Medical Officer also communicated with the Medical Officers
of other Boroughs, and found that some cases had occurred in Chelsea
and Wandsworth, but that Wimbledon, Kingston, Norbiton and
Worcester Park were suffering from an extensive outbreak which had
evidently begun a day or two sooner. After a conference with the
London and Surrey County Medical Officers at Kingston, the whole
supply of the suspected depot was stopped coming to these counties.
" When the source of infection was discovered, the whole of the milk
supply from the farm was prohibited by Dr. Tubb Thomas, the Wilts
Medical Officer, from being sold until a clean bill of health can be
given, and the whole of the depot milk supply was suspended until the
premises, utensils, &c., had been disinfected and certified to be free from
infection.
"Forty-three cases of scarlet fever attributable to this milk were
notified in Westminster, all of the patients having been taken ill about
the 16th and 17th of June."
The Medical Officer of the London County Council rendered every
possible assistance, and sent Dr. Hamer and a Veterinary Surgeon to
conduct inquiries on the farms. Reporting later, he stated that no
reasonable doubt can be entertained that the milk of a particular farm
was responsible for the occurrence of over 400 cases of scarlet fever in
London and Surrey, and interest centres in the question how milk of
this farm acquired the ability to infect those who consumed it with this
disease, and whether it was infected by the milker or some other person
suffering from scarlet fever, or by some condition of a cow or cows. In
1885, Sir William Power demonstrated the bovine origin of scarlet fever
occurring in persons who consumed milk from a Hendon farm, the cows
of which were in a morbid condition, and in the present case inquiry
showed that just at the time when the milk first began to show
infectious property there was added to it the milk of three recently
g 2