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143
On the 17th January the Clerk to the Fishmongers' Company informed
me that he had that day sent two samples of cockles, numbered 22 and 23
respectively, to Dr. Klein for analysis.
Sample No. 22 was taken direct from the Maplin Sands and boiled for
minutes.
Sample No. 23 was taken direct from the Maplin Sands and boiled for one
minute.
The following is Dr. Klein's report on these samples:—
January 19 th, 1903.
I beg herewith to report on the two samples of "cooked" cockles,
Nos. 22 and 23, received here on January 17th. Labels attached to the
samples:—
No. 22. Time of boiling sample enclosed 3½ minutes.
No. 23. Sample enclosed in continuous boiling water for one minute
before leaving the shells.
The cultures made of the interior of 12 cockles of batch shows:—
No. 22. No bacillus coli communis in any of the cockles. No spores
of bacillus enteritidis sporogenes.
No. 23. Of only one cockle something like bacillus coli communis (?)*
all others free of it.
Half of the cockles examined no spores of bacillus enteritidis alone.
From this it follows that the 3½ minutes' boiling has effectively
sterilized the interior of the cockles; one minute's boiling did this, not
sufficiently effectively.
E. KLEIN.
* This is being further examined by subcultures.
These samples had been boiled on the evening of the 16th, and handed to
Mr. Towse on the following morning. I was also informed they were
submitted to Dr. Klein with the object of ascertaining if cockles so boiled
were fit for food. Upon receipt of these facts I wrote to the Clerk to the
Fishmongers' Company that I did not consider that the analysis of these
samples (Nos. 22 and 23), collected on the Maplins and subsequently cooked
for varying periods, would serve any useful purpose.
The fact had already been established beyond question that cockles
gathered on the Maplins are subjected to, and contaminated with, sewage
pollution, and whatever the result of Dr. Klein's investigation of these
particular samples, it would have been obviously improper to sanction the sale
of Maplin cockles, whatever provisions the Company might endeavour to
enforce with regard to the mode of cooking them.
The samples in question were practically prepared under laboratory
conditions, which it would be impossible to guarantee would always obtain
in the cockle sheds.