London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of London 1906
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London, City of ]
This page requires JavaScript
33
SEWAGE-CONTAMINATED WHITEBAIT.
In investigating the cause of some cases of Enteric Fever suspicion was
directed to the whitebait as a possible cause.
In February, 1903, your Medical Officer had pointed out that the result of
some experiments made at that time by Dr. Klein indicated extensive pollution
of the whole estuary of the River Thames, and the consequent
contamination of such shellfish and fish as are found therein. It was also
*
pointed out that in addition to shellfish, sprats, and especially whitebait,
should be also examined, as the latter are eaten without being cleaned, and
the intestines, therefore, are ingested by those eating them.
In August last, it having become expedient that whitebait from the Thames estuary should be examined bacteriologically, samples were taken as under, and submitted to Dr. Klein for that purpose:—
| No. | Date. | Where obtained. | Remarks. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | August 27th, 1906 | Billingsgate | Uncooked. | ||
| 2. | „ 28th, „ | Hotel in City | Uncooked. | ||
| 3. | „ 28th, „ | Hotel in City | Cooked. | ||
| 4. | Sept. 11th, „ | Billingsgate | Uncooked. | ||
| 5. | „ 12th, „ | Billingsgate | Uncooked. | ||
| 6. | Oct. 10th, „ | Restaurant in City | Uncooked. | ||
| 7. | „ 10th, „ | Restaurant in City | Cooked. | ||
| 8. | „ 18th, „ | Restaurant in City | Cooked. | ||
Dr. Klein's report on the above was as follows:—
" No. 1. Sample bought on 27 8 at Billing spate.
"Examined 20 fish. Result: Remarkably few microbes, no typhoid, no Gaertner.
" No. 2. Uncooked portion brought on 28/8.
"Examined 20 fish. Remarkably abundant microbes; from Drigalski plates
"isolated so far four colonies which, on preliminary tests, comply with the Gaertner"tvphoid
groups. Of the four colonies I am making further cultures to see
"whether they comply with the required tests.
"With reference to the four different microbic colonies mentioned in my first
"communication re whitebait sample No. 2 (uncooked fish delivered August 28th),
"I have to report that, submitting these colonies to the various tests (Neutral red
"broth, Litmus Glucose, Peptone Water, Litmus Milk, Phenol Broth, Shake Gela"tine,
and Lactone Peptone), it appears that none of them give the tests either of
"B. Gaertner or B. Typhosus, and that, therefore, of that sample of whitebait, no
"specific bacteria have been identified.
" No. 3. Fried. Brought here on 28/8.
"Examined 20 fish. Sterile.