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Over pH 10 only 47% water had coliform bacilli greater than 1.800 per
1,000,000 per mi.
With pH range 7—10 67% waters had coliform bacilli greater than
1,800 per 100 ml.
Over pH 10 only 47% water had coliform bacilli greater than 1,800 per
100 ml.
The temperatures of the waters were found to be exceptionally low:
the average was 40' C.—the maximum being 50 C. and the minimum
30° C. These temperatures would, of course, be too low to have any
destructive or inhibitory effect on any organisms.
Among the organisms isolated from these waters were Streptococcus
viridans, faecal streptococci, Staph, albus and aureus (coagulase-poitive),
coliform bacilli, paracolon bacilli (8 times), Bact. faecalis alkaligenes
(12 times), Proteus bacilli (once), Pseudomonas pyocyanea (8 times) and
aerobic sporing bacilli (14 times).
Drying Cloths.
In most cases, owing to the shortage of towels and the impossibility
of a quick laundry service, cloths were used till wet. and then dried and
re-used. Many were washed at night and sent to the laundry weekly.
Seventeen of the 36 examined yielded only faecal streptococci. Staph.
albus. Str. viridans, and aerobic sporing bacilli. From the others one or
more of the following were grown: coliform bacilli, paracolon bacilli,
coagulase-positive Staph, aureus, and Bact. faecalis alkaligenes. On
the whole the cloths did not seem too unsatisfactory.
The cleanest utensils came from a multiple store where a washing
machine, with soda, was used and where there was no hand-drying of
cups, plates, and glasses. These were placed in a drying oven with a
temperature of approximately 82° C., their length of stay varying from
a few minutes to half an hour according to the demand for them. This
temperature was high enough to kill many of the more delicate organisms,
and indeed 10 out of the 20 swabs were sterile. This compares
very favourably with the other 24 kitchens, where only 17 sterile results
were obtained from among 595 swabs.
Though this investigation was not concerned with the bacteriological
examination of the " food-handlers" in the kitchens, advantage was
taken of the visit to inspect the sanitary arrangements and washing
facilities provided for them. In most cases these were unsatisfactory.
In 14 places no washing facilities were available either within or immediately
adjacent to the sanitary convenience and hands had to be
washed, if indeed they were washed at all, in the same kitchen sink as
the crockery and cutlery. This provides a sure path of infection by
intestinal pathogens.
Conclusion.
It would seem from this brief survey that in communal feeding-centres
the cleaning of eating utensils is very unsatisfactory, and that pathogenic
organisms are likely to be spread among the users of different
articles. The lack of modern equipment such as washing machines,
the difficulty of obtaining soap and washing powders, and the scarcity
of drying towels renders very difficult the important and necessary task
of feeding people in a hygienic manner. The finding of dysentery
bacilli on the cutlery in one out of only 25 kitchens is rather disquieting,
and may suggest the origin of the sporadic case of "diarrhoea" and the
finding of pathogenic streptococci 14 times and of pathogenic staphylococci
36 times may help to explain the high incidence of septic mout