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31
SHELLFISH POLLUTION.
In ray annual report for 1906 it was pointed out that Dr. Bulstrode's
report to the Local Government Board in 189fi showed conclusively that at
that date, in the greater part of the layings, shellfish were cultivated under
conditions that render them specially liable to sewage pollution, and although
since then some attempt has been made iD some places to modify the evil,
much remains to be done.
The Fourth Report of the Royal Commission on Sewage Disposal, dated
28th December, 1903, contains the following expression of opinion.
"After carefully examining the whole of the evidence on this point (viz. : extent
"of disease due to the consumption of contaminated shellfish) we are satisfied that
"a considerable number of cases of enteric fever and other illness are caused by the
"consumption of shellfish which have been exposed to sewage contamination.
"There can, however, be no doubt that the evil is sufficiently grave to demand
"a remedy."
These observations indicate the gravity of the situation, and although they
were made no less than four years ago, up to the present they do not seem to
have made any more impression on the legislation than did Dr. Bulstrode's
report seven years earlier. Meanwhile constant confirmation is received that
the danger from eating contaminated shellfish is an ever present one, indeed,
being far more real and in need of being dealt with from a public health point
of view than many reforms receiving more attention from the public.
As in former years requests were received to make investigations with
regard to shellfish purchased in the City suspected of having caused illness.
OYSTERS.
In a case reported from Walthamstow, a resident in that district who was
attacked with Enteric Fever—which terminated fatally—was taken ill soon
after eating oysters purchased in the City. Samples of Oysters were
purchased at the shop supplying them, and submitted to Dr. Klein, who
reported upon them as follows:—
" Re Sample of Oysters, received November 22nd.
"Eight oysters were examined thus :—After thoroughly cleansing the outside,
"the shell was opened, the liquor drained off, and the entire fish finely minced.
"Eight fish yielded about 8-10 c.c. turbid thick fluid. This fluid was examined
"for B. typhosus by means of large Drigalski plates—eight plates in all, each plate
"receiving a little over one-tenth c.c. of the turbid thick fluid.
"The result was this:—Amongst numerous colonies of B. coli communis, there
"were present a considerable number of bluish colonies, some of these resembling in