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Food Poisoning
Salmonella typhimurium was the organism encountered most frequently during the year, followed by Salmonella
enteritidis. One patient suffering from the former infection unfortunately developed a carrier state which did not
clear up until seven months after the date of the original infection. This had necessitated his giving up the part of
his work which involved food handling.
An unusual infection, Salmonella aba, developed in a home run by the Council in another local authority area. The
Health Department co-operated closely with the Social Services Directorate and the other Health Department in
bringing the outbreak under control. Detailed enquiries failed to reveal the sources. The organism proved to be
persistent and, on recent appraisal, was still found to be present in one of the original patients.
Rubella
Subsequent to the decision of the Council in July, 1971, to reverse its previous policy not to undertake rubella
vaccination of girls aged 11 to 13 years, it had been hoped to begin this in the autumn of 1971. This had to be
postponed, however, due to the heavy demands on medical staff but the programme was set in motion using
mainly senior medical officers early in 1972 and completed before midsummer.
Psittacosis
The considerable trade in exotic foreign birds is a cause of growing concern. The effect on the birds themselves is
usually disastrous, most do not survive the experience; but there is also evidence that the owners too may have
cause for regret.
In co-operation with its veterinary adviser the Health Department investigated a small outbreak of psittacosis, a
disease of birds of the parrot family which is highly infectious to human beings. An Amazon parrot was found to
be ill when purchased and died after about a month. By this time the owner had developed an influenzal type of
illness strongly suggestive of psittacosis. His wife developed a cough. Both recovered. A specimen of his blood was
highly positive for the disease, the wife's indicated a mild infection. A post-mortem carried out on the parrot
resulted in findings highly suspicious of psittacosis. There was also some anxiety in the Department because one
of the staff visiting the shop concerned developed a cough during the inquiry; but fortunately he was found not
to have been ill from this cause.
There is a general opinion in the medical and veterinary professions that there should be tighter legal controls over
the importation of exotic birds.
Lead Poisoning
A London Children's hospital requested the assistance of the Health Department in the case of a five year old
boy who had been admitted suffering from lead poisoning, caused by chewing paint. The home was visited and
samples taken for analysis and the paint responsible for the poisoning was identified. The parents, however,
refused to remove the paint on the grounds that they intended to leave that house. It was decided to keep the
child in hospital and, as soon as they stated the address of their future home, this too was visited and paint
samples taken for lead estimation. This revealed that some of the paint there would cause lead poisoning if chewed.
It was then found that removal of all this paint and replacement by modern low lead paints would cost more than
£200. Eventually this was arranged with financial assistance from the Director of Social Services. Subsequently
the child was discharged from hospital and has been in good health since, with no recurrence of his abnormal
dietary habits or his lead poisoning.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Any hopes that might have been raised by the 1970 figures for attendance at the Special Clinic at the Prince of
Wales's Hospital which were about the same, if not slightly lower than those of the preceding year, have been
dispelled by the 1971 returns which have resumed the dizzying climb of previous years. Indeed, at 1,671 the total
of venereal conditions is almost twice that of 1966, the first complete year of Haringey's existence (896).
But even these give only a partial view of the real problem as it affects Haringey residents. The Prince of Wales
Special Clinic is only one of many in Greater London. Some boroughs have as many as three, a few have none. It
has been obvious to us for some time that we would never know the real situation until we learnt the attendances
of residents of Haringey at clinics in other parts of London. Unfortunately, although all these clinics are supposed
to provide these figures, many did not do so and our information was therefore incomplete.
Eventually, it was decided to write individually to all the clinics which did not send us returns, asking them to let
us have them in future. These have almost all been received, with the exception of a very few from distant
clinics where the numbers would be nil or extremely small.
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