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Sampling of Food and Drugs
(a) The sampling of food and drugs for chemical analy
sis is carried out by the Middlesex County Council and the
following information regarding samples obtained during
the year has been kindly supplied by the Senior Public
Control Officer
250 samples were taken including 131 of milk
23 (22 of which were milk) were found to be un
satisfactory. All cases except one were dealt
with by cautions. In this case successful proceedings
were taken,
(b) Miscellaneous foods such as shell fish cream
cakes watercress and meat products are regularly sampled
by the Public Health Inspectors for bacteriological examina
tion and the results are of considerable assistance to them
in their contacts with food handlers illustrating as they
often do that the greatest care is necessary in the storage
and handling of this class of food.
The bacteriological examination of samples of milk
ice cream water and miscellaneous foods is carried out at
the Public Health Laboratory Ealing I am indebted to the
Director and Staff of the Laboratory for their ready
assistance at all times. Details of the samples submitted
will be found elsewhere in this report under their respec
tive headings.
Food Poisoning
Six cases of food poisoning were notified during the
year four due to Salmonella typhi-murium and two to Shigella
sonnei. There was also one outbreak (due to Salmonella
typhi murium) involving 15 members of the Hayes and Harlington
Athletic Club immediately upon their return from a trip
to Germany. All the available evidence pointed to the out
break having been caused by a meal taken by the party on
the train from Hamburg to Hook of Holland. The German
health authorities were notified and given all the details
of the outbreak.
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