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29
It will be seen that the results were negative; the bacteriological examination
therefore failed to associate "winkles" with the case of Enteric Fever
reported from Wandsworth.
Later, however, two other cases of Enteric Fever occurred in Wandsworth,
which the Medical Officer of Health for that district again connected with
winkles supplied by a wholesale dealer at Billingsgate.
Upon investigation it was discovered that the winkles in question came
from the West Coast of Scotland, and that some of these at least had been
gathered from the polluted shore of Loch Gilp within an area suspected of
having contained the shellfish which originated the outbreak of Enteric Fever
in Glasgow in 1903.
Two other shellfish merchants in Billingsgate were found to obtain their
supplies from the same source, and all three were at once warned of the
responsibility they incurred unless they discontinued dealing in shellfish, the
eating of which involved a serious danger to health, and advised for their
own protection to insist upon being supplied by dealers with a guarantee that
all shellfish consigned to them are from a source that the local Medical Officer
of Health considers to be unpolluted.
COCKLES.
Cockles from Leigh-on-Sea again came under suspicion during the year.
At the latter end of June I received information that of 52 cases of Enteric
Fever notified in West Ham, 24 were distinctly found to have eaten cockles a
short time previous to the onset of the illness, and that in the majority of
instances the cockles were stated to have been purchased from a dealer in
Billingsgate Market, who procured them from Leigh-on-Sea.
As at this date there was a distinct increase in the number of cases of
Enteric Fever notified in the Metropolis, it was more than ever important that
the matter should be closely followed up.
Six samples were therefore purchased as under:—
Sample No. Date. Dealer. Particulars. Obtained from.
I. 28th June P, Cooked M,
Haddock Market, Leigh-on-Sea.
Billingsgate.
II. ditto B, ditto O,
ditto ditto
III. 29th June P, ditto M,
Billingsgate. ditto
IV. ditto B, ditto O,
ditto ditto
V. 30th June B, ditto O,
ditto ditto
VI. ditto B, ditto N,
ditto ditto