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58
t communicated with the doctor who attended the patients,
but he was able to add little to the information I had already
received, and although he had taken a sample of the whelks and
promised, if possible, to let me have it, I failed to receive it. I was
equally unfortunate in an attempt to procure a sample from Hibbert
Road. I was, however, told both by the doctor and the people of
Hibbert Road that there was nothing noticeably wrong with the
whelks, except that they were black at the ends.
On making enquiries of the proprietor of the stall it was found
that he resided in East Ham. I therefore communicated with the
Medical Officer of Health for that Borough, asking him to let me
know as to the man's sanitary surroundings, and particularly as to
the place where he stored his goods. His reply was to the effect
that the goods were not stored at his home, but somewhere in the
neighbourhood of the "Bakers' Arms." The place of storage
proved to be a shed, which was found to be clean and in a sanitary
state, so that no suspicion arose as to contamination occurring
there.
The proprietor of the stall said he had sold many dozens of the
whelks, which he had purchased in Billingsgate Market on 26th
December, and had received no other intimation of their having
caused illness. He stated both he and his wife had eaten some
with no ill-effects.
At a subsequent interview, however, he said that he had heard
that some of the same consignment had caused illness in another
district.