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150
OYSTERS.
A second outbreak of disease attributed to shellfish was that which occurred
at Winchester on 10th November.
Although this case does not affect the City to the same extent as the
foregoing cockles case, still the fact remains that the oysters implicated are
exposed for sale within the City's jurisdiction.
The facts have been fully reported in the public press, and I need here state
only that after the Mayoral Banquet many of the guests were attacked the same
evening with violent purging and diarrhœa, which at the time were attributed
to the soup. They were afterwards declared to be typhoid fever, and it was
subsequently ascertained that all the patients (10 in number) had partaken of
oysters, though many who had eaten these suffered no ill-effects.
Unfortunately, three of the cases proved fatal.
The Medical Officer of Health for Winchester, Dr. Langdon, was of opinion
that the typhoid bacilli could not have been conveyed by any cooked food,
and he therefore came to the conclusion that the illness must have been due
to the oysters.
I was informed by the Clerk to the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
that the Inspector visited the Emsworth beds from which the oysters had
been obtained on the same day as eaten, and that he was able to obtain a
supply from the same pit that the suspected ones had been taken from
(Sample No. 1.)
These, at the request of the Clerk, were submitted to Professor Klein on
the 18th, together with a sample of water taken one foot below the surface of
the pit, which was then full. (No. 2.)
The Inspector further states that the sewage from the town enters the river
only fifty yards from the oyster pits.
In a letter dated 30th December, the Clerk (Mr. J. Wrench Towse)
informed me—
"The Company's Inspectors who have visited the pits at Emsworth have
"reported that the sewage outfall is in close proximity, and that practically
"the sewage is flowing over the pits. In consequence of this and of the
"serious outbreak at Winchester of typhoid fever from which several persons
"had suffered after eating oysters at the Mayoral Banquet of 10th November
"taken from the Emsworth pits, the Fishmongers' Company informed the
"proprietors of these pits and of the oyster layings at Emsworth that they
"would not allow the sale in London of any oysters coming from these
"respective places."