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survey. Sometimes the public health inspectors revisited the shops shortly after the
poultry had been eviscerated and collected samples of meat and meat products as well
as swabs of the tables and benches on which the poultry had been trussed, in order to
find out if cross contamination from the poultry took place.
The purpose of the investigation was to find out the infection rate of poultry
eviscerated in retail shops in the area and to try and assess the importance of this
practice as a cause of human salmonella infections.
The cloacal swabs were examined for salmonellae—three (0.3 per cent.) of
1,046 chickens and 41 (19.7 per cent.) of 208 ducks were positive. The infected birds
did not appear to be associated with any reported cases of human salmonellosis in the
district.
Thus, although the practice of eviscerating poultry in retail shops is a potential
hazard, the results of this survey suggest that the risk is probably small. The high
rate of infection found in ducks emphasizes the importance of a satisfactory standard
of hygiene in the retail shops. A special room should be provided for poultry evisceration
in which there are adequate facilities for the staff to wash their hands; overalls or
aprons should be worn and should be used only in the poultry preparation room.
(1) Galbraith, N.S., Taylor, C. E. D., Patton, J. L., Hagan, J. G. (1964) :
Med. Off. 355.
(2) Galbraith, N. S., Mawson, K. N., Maton, G. E. and Stone, D. M. (1962) :
Mon. Bui1., Min. Hlth. & P.H.L.S., 21, 109.
HEALTH EDUCATION
The Central Council for Health Education placed at the disposal of Finchley
Borough Council a Mobile Unit to augment the publicity campaign on smoking and
health. This unit, fully equipped with visual aids, etc., and staffed by 2 male
graduate lecturers specially trained for the purpose, visited 22 schools, clubs, etc., in
Finchley during the week commencing 6th May, when 2,700 pupils, teaching staff and
club members heard and saw for themselves the health hazards associated with smoking.
Dr. Adamson, Acting Medical Officer of Health, in a report to the Council referred
to the competent manner in which the unit lectures performed their difficult task
and the interesting an intelligent questions put by the pupils.
He continued "I have received a number of helpful observations from head
teachers expressing appreciation for the unit, giving extracts from comments made by
pupils and their parents and generally indicating that a further lecture or follow-up
would be acceptable. My impression is that the programme was too compressed and
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