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The owner of these oysters said that they were French, taken from Pegfleet
about one month before and relaid in South Deep in a pit divided into four
divisions that was left dry at low water only.
On the 23rd June an application was made at the Mansion House for an
order for the destruction and condemnation of these oysters on the ground
that they were unwholesome, having been taken from a sewage-polluted source.
The Magistrate, Mr. Alderman Burnett, directed the adjournment of the
application pending bacteriological examination of the oysters before the
Court, as the place of origin was disputed by the owner. Duplicate samples
were therefore taken from the two sacks on behalf of both the owner and the
Corporation and forwarded to Professor Klein.
At the adjourned hearing on the 25th, Dr. Klein's reports were put forward.
These showed that all four samples were sewage-polluted.
There being no question, therefore, as to their contamination, the Alderman
condemned them, and made an order for their destruction, which was
accordingly carried into effect.
On the 6th October the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth informed
me that a case of Enteric Fever had been notified to him from Fulham, in
which the patient had eaten oysters purchased from a local fishmonger, who
obtained his supplies from a large dealer in Monument Street.
Enquiries showed that the oysters sold by this firm were from layings that
examination had shown to be free from pollution in January and February
last, it was therefore not considered necessary at the time to make any
further investigation or analysis.
On the 2nd December, however, an outbreak of illness in a family at
Hastings (one of whom was attacked with Enteric Fever) was attributed to
oysters obtained from the same dealer as the one referred to above in the case
reported from Wandsworth on the 6th October. Five samples, marked
la, 2a, 3a, 4a, and 5a, were purchased from him on the 3rd December, with
results as stated in the accompanying Table.
On the 13th December the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth
reported another case of Enteric Fever in his District, in which the patient
had purchased oysters from a local fishmonger, who procured his supplies
from a dealer named Charles Wood, 2, Billingsgate Buildings, E.C.
A sample of oysters, marked 6a, stated to be the same kind as those supplied
to the above-mentioned local dealer, were purchased from Mr. Charles Wood
on the 14th December. These oysters are known as "Gann's Princesses,"
and come from the " Pollard " bed at Whitstable.