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Dysentery and Food Poisoning
Figures for dysentery and food poisoning show a four-fold increase
over those for last year. This is largely accounted for by an outbreak
in the Woodward Road area towards the end of the year. Since most
of the cases notified were amongst school children I have dealt with
the details of this outbreak later in this report.
The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1953, which
came into force during the year, gave us further useful powers for
the control of food-borne infection, and for the first time specifically
mentioned salmonella infections (other than typhoid and paratyphoid)
and staphylococcal infections as causes of food poisoning. Whilst we
have had certain powers in respect of patients actually suffering from
certain of these diseases, we have hitherto had no means of dealing
with the very much more dangerous carriers of these infections. The
Regulations gave powers, which you have delegated to me, by which
carriers of these diseases working in cafes or food shops can be excluded
from work until they are free from infection. They also give
you power to require the examination of any employee suspected of
being a carrier.
Puerperal Pyrexia
Of the 20 cases notified 3 related to a small outbreak of streptococcal
infection in one of the wards at the Barking Hospital. Four
patients were involved, in each case haemolytic streptococci being
isolated from vaginal swabs. Haemolytic streptococi were also
isolated from the throats of two members of the nursing staff and
one maid, and one of the former had a small septic lesion on the thumb
from which haemolytic streptococci were also isolated. The ward
was closed for 10 days and the members of the staff concerned were
excluded from duty until three consecutive negative throat swabs had
been obtained. Unfortunately neither of the two notifications received
by the time this action was taken indicated the cause of the pyrexia
and no typing of these organisms was carried out. It was thus impossible
to be certain of the exact source of infection.
Poliomyelitis
Of the eight cases notified, five were paralytic and three were non
paralytic. There were, fortunately, no deaths. Of the five paralytic
cases two recovered completely, one has a slight weakness of a shoulder
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