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cooked in the hospital canteen were supplied to the factory employees,
a further investigation along lines similar to the earlier
one was carried out with special regard to the hospital canteen
staff and the work contacts of the patient. In this enquiry, which
involved 97 persons, a total of 292 faecal and 292 urine specimens
and 76 blood samples were examined at the laboratory. In
addition, 38 drain swabs were examined.
Despite all our efforts, the source of infection remained untraced.
During the year enquiries were also made in connection with a
typhoid carrier, a boy of three years of age who had been notified
as suffering from infective jaundice. The carrier state was
brought to light in the course of the bacteriological examination of
faecal specimens from the child. All family and house contacts
were investigated but specimens obtained from them proved
negative.
International certificates of vaccination against smallpox
The trend shewn in recent years for an increasing number of
persons to require authentication of international certificates of
vaccination was again evident in 1968, the number of requests
received totalling 8,240. The signature of the person issuing the
certificate was verified in each case as that of a registered medical
practitioner practising in Wandsworth, and the certificate endorsed
accordingly.
One certificate was issued during the year to the effect that there
had been no recent cases of smallpox in the borough. Such
certificates are accepted by certain countries from persons who do
not wish to be vaccinated.
Under the Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations, 1966, and the
Public Health (Ships) Regulations, 1966, persons arriving in this
country from abroad who are not in possession of a valid international
certificate of vaccination against smallpox must be placed
under surveillance for a specific period. Forty-five such persons
who were travelling to addresses in the borough were kept under
observation.
Bacteriological examinations
Bacteriological examination of stools and other specimens taken
in connection with food poisoning and for infectious diseases was
carried out by the joint Microbiology and Public Health Laboratory,
St. George's Hospital, Tooting, and 4,655 specimens, made
up as follows, were examined during the year.
Stool and urine 4,615
Nose and throat swabs 40
Bacteriological examinations in connection with routine food
sampling were carried out at the Public Health Laboratory at
County Hall.