London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

St Pancras 1902

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, London, Borough of]

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101
PORK PIES AND PTOMAINE POISONING.
In September, 1902, at Derby, a serious outbreak of ptomaine poisoning
occurred. It was traced to the eating of pork pies, the meat of which had
become contaminated in the chopping-house by excretal matter and the large
intestines of the animals slaughtered in an adjoining building. The meat
was chopped up in a place where the large intestines were being prepared
for sale.

Table: Some sausages, a polony, and a pork pie bought at the inculpated premises in Derby on the morning of Thursday, 4th September, were brought to London by the daughter A—of a family named B—in J—Street, St. Pancras, and eaten with the following results:—

Some sausages, a polony, and a pork pie bought at the inculpated premises in Derby on the morning of Thursday, 4th September, were brought to London by the daughter A—of a family named B—in J—Street, St. Pancras, and eaten with the following results:—

Name.Age.Friday, September 6th.Saturday, September 7th.Character of attack.
Dinner at 2.Tea at 6.Symptoms, with time of onset.
Mr. J. B.444 sausagesA little pork pieBegan with abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhœa at 9 a.m.Severe.
Mrs. B.423 „Polony and pork pie (a little)Woke up feeling faint at 6 a.m., followed by abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhœa.Severe.
Miss A. B.162 „Do.Began with abdominal pain and diarrhœa at 6 a.m., followed by vomiting at 9 a.m.Severe.
Miss N. B.122 „Do.Had some pain and diarrhœa at 2 p.m.Slight.
Miss E. B.71½ „Do.Seized with nausea at 9 a.m., and at 1 p.m. with pain,vomiting and diarrhœa.Moderate.
Man532 „Polony and pork pieSeized with nausea at 8 a.m., followed by pain, and at 12 by vomiting and diarrhœa.Rather severe.
Woman552 „Do.Taken with pain, vomiting and diarrhœa at 3 a.m.Severe.
Woman's daughter19Had a good piece of polony at 8 p.m.Taken with pain, vomiting and diarrhœa at 6 a.m.Severe.

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The temperature ranged from 100° to 100.5° F.