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91
"The remedy for the condition of affairs revealed in this report is obvious, and
"it consists in devising means whereby shellfish for human consumption, whether
"oysters, mussels, or cockles, shall no longer bo laid down, stored, or washed in or
"gathered from positions liable to contamination. Adequate precautions also
"necessitate provision for the periodical inspection of and reports upon places from
"which shellfish are procured, or in which they are cleansed and prepared for
"market.
"It would clearly be desirable while regulating the shellfish beds and layings
"of England and Wales, at the same time to control the shellfish supplies of
"Ireland, Scotland, Holland, France, and America, some of which at least are
"known to be subject to contamination in no less degree than those of England
"and Wales."
INSPECTION OF FISH AND PREVALENCE OF TYPHOID FEVER
IN 1910.
Incidences of cases of typhoid fever in London have shown a marked decline
during the past 25 years, but even now this disease is remarkably prevalent in the
Metropolis.
The study of the cases notified show that they display a marked tendency to occur
in groups, and more especially affect the poorer areas, the same localities in some
instances being attacked year after year.
During 1910 there occurred an outbreak of the epidemic which affected mainly
the districts of Bethnal Green, Stepney and Poplar.
In these circumstances, Dr. Hamer, of the London County Council, visited the
implicated districts with a view to investigating whether or no some special cause or
causes could not be ascertained to which the prevalence of the disease could be
attributed.
The results of Dr. Hamer's enquiries have now been printed by order of the
Public Health Committee of the London County Council.
Having, by a process of hypothetical deduction, eliminated water and milk as
possible causes, and shown that the outbreak was an explosive one, and therefore not to
any extent accounted for by personal infection, Dr. Hamer turned his attention to the
question of food inspection, and came to the conclusion that two articles of food were
under suspicion, viz., mussels and fried fish, which had been partaken of by a considerable
percentage of the patients within the month preceding the onset of the illness, and
on further inspection he formed the opinion that mussels might be disregarded, leaving
only the question of fried fish.
On this point, he states that of the total number of cases notified in Bethnal Green
(79) there were 68 with a history of having eaten fried fish within a month of the
onset of the illness, and that limiting consideration to the area of special prevalence,
out of 50 cases, 49, or 98 per cent, of the patients had obtained fried fish from shops in
the area, and that the 50th case was subsequently found to have been notified in error.