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Of the 53 cases treated at home 4 were secondary cases
occurring in the same house, and these were probably infected
before hospitalisation of the first case would have been practicable.
ERYSIPELAS.
Only four isolated cases occurred in the summer, one of
which was admitted to Hospital. All recovered.
ENTERIC FEVER.
One confirmed case of paratyphoid fever (B. type) was notified
during the year, and two suspected cases of paratyphoid were
admitted to hospital. The latter gave completely negative findings
and the source of the definite case could not be traced.
DYSENTERY.
A total of 12 cases of dysentery were notified, compared with
13, 48 and 22 in the three preceding years. Of this number 11
were due to the Flexner bacillus and occurred among the inmates
of one of the mental hospitals, one of whom died from this disease.
The remaining case was due to the milder Sonne bacillus and this
cleared up in hospital.
FOOD POISONING.
During the year a total of 74 notifications of food poisoning
were received which is much the largest number of cases notified
in any single year. The number of outbreaks was about the
normal, however, being not more than five.
In three instances only one or two individuals were concerned,
and in two of these the causal organism was not identified. The
third, which affected two members of one family, was due to
S. typhi murium, probably spread by mice.
The largest outbreak resulting in 69 notifications, was in one
of the mental hospitals and was due to CI. Welchii which had
thrived in meat pies made on a Saturday, allowed to cool over
night in meat tins in a warm atmosphere and reheated before
consumption at lunch on the Sunday.
In addition it is known that in October a large firm in the
District had at least 29 of their employees affected by food
poisoning although not one of the cases was notified. (Only a
minority saw a doctor but one of them was correctly diagnosed
in a neighbouring District, though not notified).
As in the previous outbreak the causal organism was undoubtedly
CI. Welchii resulting from meat being cooked on one day,
allowed to cool slowly in a warm atmosphere and reheated before
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