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67
Ice-creams.—In June a communication was received from the Coroner for
Central London, stating that an Inquest was held on the 10th of June, concerning
the death of a boy who died from septicoemia, following an irritant poison introduced
into the system by eating ice-cream purchased from a street vendor, and
the Jury appended the following rider to their verdict:—"And the Jurors,
having heard in evidence that another child in the same family was also affected
in the same way, would call the attention of the Sanitary Autherities to the case."
Your Vestry approved of eight samples of ice-creams being taken from street
vendors and being subjected to analysis for the purpose of ascertaining whether
they contained any injurious substance, mineral, vegetable, or animal.
Accordingly in July eight samples were taken, four of which were examined
chemically and found genuine, and four examined bacteriologically, with the
following results:—
The first contained upwards of 500,000 organisms per cubic centimetre. The
bacteria isolated were the B coli communis (the cream contained 200 or 300
per c. c.), Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus, pyogenes aureus, Staphylococcus
pyogenes albus, B. liquidus, B. liquefaciens fluorescens, B. ubiquitous.
No Oidium lactis could be found, nor could any Diphtheria bacilli be discovered.
The second contained upwards of 450,000 organisms per c. c. The bacteria
isolated were the B. coli communis (there were 150 to 200 per c. c.), Staphylococcus
albus, Streptococcus, B. liquefaciens fluorescens. No Oidium lactis or
Diphtheria bacilli could be found.
The third contained upwards of 120,000 organisms per cubic centimetre.
Of the bacteria present the most numerous were bacilli belonging to the Mesentericus
vulgatus. The B. liquefaciens and liquefaciens fluorescens were also present.
Neither Typhoid bacilli, B. coli communis, Klebs Loffler bacilli, nor Streptococci
could be found. Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus was not found, but the Staphylococcus
albus was isolated.
The fourth contained about 160,000 organisms per c. c. The bacteria isolated
were B. liquefaciens fluorescens, B. liquefaciens, B. ubiquitous, B. mesentericus
vulgatus, and Staphylococcus albus No Oidia, Klebs Loffler bacilli, B. typhi
abdominalis, nor B, coli communis could be discovered.
It was evident that the condition of the milk used was an important factor
in the composition of ice-creams, and accordingly I reported upon the subject
from the point of view of the bacteriological examination of food, and especially
of milk.
The Bacteriological Examination of Food and especially of Milk.
Health Department,
Vestry Hall,
Pancras Road, N.W.
9th November, 1898.
Report of the Medical Officer of Health upon the Bacteriological Examination
of Food.
To the Health Committee of the Vestry of St. Pancras.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
In July last your Committee gave instructions for the Bacteriological