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51
condemned and ordered to be destroyed by the magistrate. Proceedings were taken
against the person to whom the pork belonged at the time it was seized, with the result
that he was fined 40 shillings with 2 shillings costs.
ICE-CREAM.
There is no doubt, as has been shewn in the published results of analyses and
bacteriological examinations, that this compound, as commonly sold, frequently
contains abnormal numbers of micro-organisms. Under normal conditions, microorganisms
of various descriptions are to be found in many of the articles of diet consumed
by man-kind, but the numbers and characters of those described as existing in
some of the samples of ice-cream which have been subjected to examination indicate
that the component parts were obtained from very dubious sources, and, in some cases,
point to a high degree of pollution and to grave risk to those eating such ice-cream.
Every summer cases are reported where diarrhoea with choleraic symptoms, not
infrequently ending in death, occur as the result of the consumption of ice cream. In
some instances which have been recorded, cases of enteric fever have been attributed
to the consumption of infected ice-cream. Towards the latter end of 1891 a serious
outbreak of enteric fever occurred in south-east London, which was attributed to the
distribution of infected ice-creams by Italians living in Deptford. Investigation
shewed that the ice-creams were prepared under conditions which gave opportunity for
their contamination.
A striking example of the conditions under which ice-cream may be prepared
came to light in Shoreditch a few years ago. At premises not a stone's throw from
the High Street it was discovered that this compound was being prepared, and was
being kept, when not exposed for sale, in a filthy, defectively paved, undrained backyard,
which had been, at some time or other, covered in to form a wash-house.
From an untrapped sink in direct communication with the public sewer, sewer-gas
was freely discharged into the wash-house and pervaded the whole atmosphere of the
premises. In a room upstairs were two cases of enteric fever, in which diarrhoea was
a prominent symptom. The patients were being attended to by their mother, who
also assisted in the manufacture of the ice-cream, which was sold on the premises and
from a barrow in the street. The manufacture and sale of the ice-cream was
immediately stopped; the cases of fever removed to hospital; and, shortly after, the
premises were closed.
This summer, in consequence of the occurrence of certain deaths which were
thought to be possibly due to the consumption of ice-cream, the sanitary inspectors
were instructed by the Vestry to give special attention to the premises in Shoreditch
on which ice-cream is prepared. Thirty premises at which the compound was being
prepared and sold were inspected. In fifteen, insanitary conditions of more or less
gravity were found existing, including defective drains, untrapped sinks, defective
water closets, defectively paved yards, and want of proper attention to cleanliness.