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37
The symptoms on which a diagnosis is made are usually two or
more following:—vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever and a
rash. Where only one member of a household is suffering from
some of these symptoms, particularly when all ingested the same
foodstuffs, it rather suggests that it is more some idiosyncrasy or
pathological state of the patient that causes the symptoms, than
that the case is one of food poisoning.
(c) Adulteration, etc.
Sale of Food and Drugs.
These Acts are administered by the Essex County Council.
During the year 240 samples were analysed. Proceedings were
taken in one instance, the defendant paying 10s. Od. costs.
(d) Chemical and Bacteriological Examination of Food.
Bacteriological examination of milk, etc., is carried out at
the Essex County Public Health Laboratories, 91, Queen Victoria
Street, London, E.C.4. Chemical analyses are performed by
Dr. Bernard Dyer, at 17, Great Tower Street, E.C.3.
(e) Nutrition.
The following is a copy of a report submitted to the Public
Health Committee:—
In May, 1932, two reports were issued by the Minister of
Health's Advisory Committee on Nutrition, the first being a
Report on Diets in Poor Law Children's Homes and the second a
Memorandum on the Criticism and Improvement of Diets.
According to Circular 1370, the Committee, in fixing the various
Prices, had not specifically in view the case of unemployed persons
and their families, but contemplated generally persons not engaged
in more than moderate physical labour. The Committee adopted
3,000 calories and 37 grammes of first-class protein as adequate
values for the calculation of sufficient diets.
In the Supplement to the B.M.J, of 25/11/33 was published
the report of a Committee of the B.M.A. appointed with the
following terms of reference—"To determine the minimum weekly
expenditure on foodstuffs which must be incurred by families of
varying size, if health and working capacity are to be maintained,
and to construct specimen diets." This Committee were of the
opinion that the minimum requirements were 3,400 calories and
50 grammes of first-class protein daily.