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32
The Medical Officer of Health for the Borough of Southend (Dr. J. T. C.
Nash) took the same view, and issued a circular letter to the members of the
local fish trade, directing attention to the risk involved in the consumption of
cockles taken from Leigh Creek, and intimated that if they continued to
sell or expose them for sale that they would be liable to have them seized as
unfit for human food.
Dr. Nash added that he had no objection to cockles being obtained from
Leigh or to cockles being cooked at Leigh, but that in the interest of the
public he had strong objections to cockles which have been laid in the Leigh
Creek being used as food in Southend-on-Sea, because at low water there is
practically undiluted sewage effluent in the Creek.
On receipt of Dr. Klein's report the dealers were called upon to
discontinue the sale of these cockles, and they subsequently gave an undertaking
in writing to this effect. The Fishmongers' Company were also asked
to give notice to the fishermen at Leigh to refrain from sending any more
cockles to Billingsgate, and to seize all cockles that in the face of such notice
continued to arrive at the City markets.
The Company at once investigated the question, and prohibited the sending
of Leigh cockles to the market.
The Fishmongers' Company subsequently co-operated with the representatives
of the cocklers, their attention being chiefly directed to the methods of
cooking and preparing the fish for market, when it was ascertained that by a
modification in the working of the steam boilers employed more satisfactory
results could be obtained, the bacteriological examination of the test samples
submitted after the alterations showing that the cockles were properly
sterilised.
The Leigh fishermen are now fully aware that if they persist as heretofore
in relaying cockles in the Creek that receives the town sewage effluent they
will lose their means of livelihood. Provided they entirely abandon this
practice and cook the cockles properly, there can be no objection to the
" fish " being sold.
The Rector of the Parish and one other resident having been appointed
to exercise supervision for ensuring that the directions and instructions of the
Fishmongers' Company were carried out, no further action was then taken.