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The outbreak in which CI. Welchii was identified as the agent occurred at a Junior
Mixed and Infants School. 98 children and 13 members of the staff were affected.
The common factor appeared to be the school dinner which was cooked at another school.
The chain of events was as follows:—
The meat (roast lamb, boned and rolled) was contaminated
with CI. Welchii when purchased. The CI. Welchii resisted
destruction by the heat and during the two hours or so between
cooking and eating multiplied in the anaerobic conditions and
produced their toxin.
Following this outbreak arrangements were made for cooked meat to be kept in
the kitchen at a "safe " temperature until immediately before dispatch to the school.
A small outbreak of sonnei dysentery occurred at an Infants school. 45 children
and 10 adults (adult members of families where children also had diarrhoea and the
school caretaker) were swabbed. The swabs of 15 children and one adult (mother of
an affected child) were positive. The outbreak continued for about four weeks. At
the very commencement of the investigations arrangements were made for a routine
practice of disinfection in respect of sanitary accommodation and the importance of
hand washing was emphasised.