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CHAPTER III.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
FOOD POISONING. Despite the great amount of scientific
and bacteriological investigation which has taken place in recent years,
and the practical application of the conclusions reached, there is very
little reduction in the incidence of Food Poisoning. The education of
kitchen workers now appears to be the field where the greatest chance
of improvement lies. Many of the kitchen premises where outbreaks
have occurred have been almost ideal in construction and equipment,
whilst the lapse has often been one of temporary relaxation in the
normally high standard maintained by the staff.
The total of cases notified during the year was 16, but only two
of these were from outbreaks. It is certain that many sporadic cases
occur which are not notified but equally probable that all major
incidents are discovered and investigated.
Of the five major incidents CI. Weichii was responsible for four
producing 115 individual sufferers.
It will be seen that many of the larger outbreaks are due to the
pre-cooking of meat and its storage in gravy over the week-end or
overnight, it seems immaterial whether in a refrigerator or in warm
conditions, permitting the multiplication of organisms retained in the
mass of food. In such cases the appearance and taste of the food may
be quite unaffected and it is only several hours after its ingestion that
symptoms develop. These outbreaks are preventable and it appears that
our attention should be directed to visits to rooms where meals are
being prepared, and the dissemination of advice to kitchen staffs
encouraging them to adopt a sound code of practice and never to
deviate from this.
2. INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATES OF IMMUNISATION.
The Department continues to authenticate the International
Certificates of Vaccination for travellers who have received inoculations
from Wembley practitioners.
During the year 1,031 certificates received attention in the
Department.
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