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a germ culture from each patient admitted to ascertain the
particular Type of organism which had caused the infection.
This "typing" of organisms, as it is called, is as individual as
the examination of fingerprints in criminology, and is a
valuable aid in tracing the origin of an epidemic. The extraordinary
thing was that the germs isolated from the epidemic
cases did not fall into any known category, and the result from
the Laboratory showed that we were dealing with an un.
typeable strain which had not been met before in this country.
The information, however, that all the cases were due to the
same strain was, in itself, very valuable and showed that, not
only our cases, but certain cases occurring in other parts of the
country were due to the same source. This type has now
officially been recognised as the Kent strain of Paratyphoid
'B' by the Central Enteric Reference Laboratory.
Meanwhile the search for contacts and cases was continued
and any fresh cases or carriers were immediately sent to
hospital. Doctors called me out to see many suspected cases
and 2 of these were admitted to hospital, although the rest
proved to be innocent as far as this disease was concerned.
The results of the stool examination submitted from the
employees of the firm were all negative as were also the blood
samples which were taken, but this does not exclude the possibility
that one of the workers may have been the source of the
outbreak. The problem of the "intermittent carrier" has
always to be faced and it is often necessary to take 6 or 7
specimens before a positive result is obtained. There were
limits, however, to the extent to which the firm and the
employees could be inconvenienced and we had to be satisfied
with the results obtained. The possibility had also to be
considered that the cream may have already been infected on
arrival at the premises and this might also explain the fact that
cases in other parts of the country were due to the same strain
or organism. The Ministry of Health undertook to make such
investigations as were possible at the places of origin of the
synthetic creams and this has presumably been done.
The fact remains, however, that by the 6th August, 1951,
it was decided that the outbreak was over and it is possible that
a dangerous situation which might have resulted in a more
serious outbreak was averted by the control measures which
were adopted.
I should like to acknowledge the ready co.operation of the
Management and Staff of the firm concerned who immediately