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"negative motile bacilli from the heart blood and liver and one growth of a similar organism
"from the spleen Seven colonies from the organs and intestinal contents were subjected to
"further study; those from the intestines and liver proved to be B coli fermenting lactose
" Those from the bloods and spleen were lactosenegative but did not conform to the Salmonella
"type and were not agglutinated by any of the following sera :—Typhoid Paratyphoid A
"and B Siupestifer Aertrycke (Mutton) and Gartner Nor were they Morgan's bacillus for
"they fermented mannite and formed no indol It may be concluded that the mice did not
"die of infection with any of the foodpoisoning bacilli infecting man
"The serum of the two patients who had suffered from diarrhoea a week previously
"was tested against Gartner's bacillus the Mutton type of B Aertrycke and Paratyphoid B
"One of them agglutinated the Aertrycke bacillus at 1 in 50 but not at 1 in 100 This was
"the only reaction observed and is probably not significant The stool of a third case when
"plated out yielded only lactose fermenting colonies The rat and mouse proved healthy
"on dissection and their spleens were sterile on culture
"CONCLUSIONS—In investigating an outbreak of this sort the bacteriologist is
"always at a disadvantage when he cannot examine the acute cases of diarrhoea It gener
"ally happens that as in this case he is called in late
"The above observations suggest that the roast veal was at fault and they make it
"reasonably certain that the outbreak was not one of infection with any of the usual food
"poisoning bacilli but was more probably due to poisoning by some chemical substance in
"the meat or gravy"
8th February 1921 (Signed) F W ANDREWES
This outbreak is characteristic of the many minor outbreaks which are
constantly occurring
As a consequence of the general satisfactory condition of the premises etc
the only precautionary measures necessary were special cleansing of utensils used
and removal of all materials which might possibly have been contaminated
INSPECTION OF FOOD IN CITY WHARVES
The duty of supervision of food at the Wharves is undertaken by Mr T L Davies
and the following is a summary of the chief matters coming under observation:—