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Dr. Newman himself ate an ounce or two of the cheese, and four or five hours afterwards suffered
acutely from symptoms similar to those from which other people had suffered. The next day
he informed the head of the Finsbury firm of what had occurred and he in turn ate some of the
cheese and suffered in a like way. This firm had received the cheese from a large wholesale
firm in the City. On the 28th October four cases of poisoning in Finsbury, attributed to the
same cheese, were reported to Dr. Newman. Thirteen cases also occurred in Bermondsey, with
eight later cases in the same district, the cheese having been obtained from a firm in the City.
Four cases also occurred in Deptford. The symptoms were epigastric pain, rigors, vomiting,
diarrhoea, prostration and some fever. No death appears to have occurred, and in general the
symptoms passed off in the course of 48 hours. The shipper was traced and also the maker of
the cheese in Holland, who came to London to give to and obtain from Dr. Collingridge any
information possible. Of four samples of the cheese forwarded by Dr. Newman to the publio
analyst of Finsbury (Mr. Kear Colwell), in two samples tyro-toxicon was found to be present, but
not uniformly distributed through the cheese. Samples of the cheese were also examined by
Dr. Pakes, of Guy's Hospital, but no ptomaine was discovered. The cheese was also examined
by Dr. Klein, and four mice, three white rats, two guinea-pigs and two rabbits were fed upon
it and one rat and one mouse died. In the winter of 1887 a similar outbreak of illness among
the staff and patients of a hospital in central London, and the evidence then pointed strongly
to the consumption of butter as the cause. Similar outbreaks were at the time taking place in
other parts of London and, indeed, of England. The symptoms noted were diarrhoea, in the
majority abdominal pains, vomiting, cramps in the limbs, great depression and high temperature.*
The occurrence of alleged poisoning in Camberwell from the eating of chocolate drops was
investigated by Dr. Stevens, the medical officer of health, who came to the conclusion that it was
impossible to say "that in any case there was clear proof that the sweets were the sole cause."
Chemical analysis of the chocolate drops showed that there was 1.79 per cent. of mineral oil
present.
Poisoning by arsenic.
In my last report it was stated that in November, 1900, a number of persons had been
found in Manchester and some other places to be suffering from peripheral-neuritis due to
the presence of arsenic in the beer they had consumed. Under the instructions of the Public
Health Committtee the Council's chemist examined during the latter part of 1900 and
during 1901 numerous samples of beer and other articles taken in all parts of London,
many of the samples of beer being drawn from brewery taps. Altogether he examined
586 samples of beer and ale, 5 of hops, 25 of glucose and saccharine, 31 of jams and marmalade,
91 of sweetmeats, syrup and honey, and 22 of condensed milk; 760 samples in all. In only
2 was arsenic detected. These were samples of syrup. They were labelled alike and were
purchased at the same shop, but on different dates. A large quantity of the syrup was taken
and by careful manipulation the amount of arsenic present was found to be less than one part
in five million parts.
Disinfection.
The medical officer of health of Kensington reports that the Borough Council of Kensington
has resolved to provide a disinfecting station at the depot, Wood-lane, Shepherd's-bush, instead
of as heretofore relying upon the services of a contractor. It was stated in the last annual report
that the new disinfecting station in Fulham was completed; the medical officer of health states
that the provision of a well-equipped laundry enables articles to be washed, which was not done
when the work was carried out by a. contractor. The provision of a central disinfecting station
for Westminster instead of those already in existence was under consideration, and the medical
officer of health expresses the opinion that this should be situated in the south of the borough; the
London County Council is required, under the Improvements Act of 1899, to provide a station in
place of that in Denzell-street, required to be demolished for the purposes of the new street from
Holborn to the Strand. The Lambeth Borough Council resolved to purchase a new disinfecting
machine and to place it at the Wanless-road disinfecting station. The new disinfecting station
which the sanitary authority of Battersea decided to provide was in course of erection in 1901 and
was completed in March, 1902; the medical officer of health states that the station is well designed,
but that the provision for chemical disinfection is not adequate and that steps are being taken to
remedy this defect. In Wandsworth the medical officer of health reports, in the first six months
of the year the disinfection by steam of the bedding, etc., from infected houses in the sub-districts
of Putney and Clapham was done by a contractor, while that from houses in Wandsworth,
Streatham and Tooting was done at the disinfecting station in Wandsworth; during the last
six months the disinfection of infected articles from all parts of the borough was done at the
Wandsworth station; the apparatus at this station has proved most efficient, but at no distant
date additional accommodation and apparatus will have to be provided. In Camberwell the
Borough Council resolved to. purchase a second disinfecting apparatus for use during the
temporary disablement of the existing apparatus. The disinfection of infected articles from
Paddington is still carried out by a contractor; the medical officer of health expresses the opinion
that it might prove advantageous for the Council themselves to disinfect and to contract for the
subsequent cleansing.
In reference to the methods of disinfection of rooms which were adopted, it is reported
that in Paddington spraying with formaldehyde solution has gradually replaced the use of
* Transactions of the Society of Medical Officers of Health, session 1886-7, page 1.35.