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60
FOOD POISONING
During the year fifteen notifications of suspected food poisoning were received.
A man, wife and three children were reported by a district medical officer to be suffering
from acute gastritis. The wife and two daughters were admitted to St. Leonard's Hospital
but the man and son refused to enter hospital. Enquiries were made and brought to light
the fact that these patients had eaten broth made from beef gravy (the remains of a
previous meal) mixed with mutton broth given by a neighbour. No evidence of contamination
could be found from cooking utensils nor from the constituents of the broth. A specimen
of the broth was analysed by the borough analyst, who reported that there was no appreciable
amount of poisonous or foreign matter present but abnormally high proportions of
nitrites and nitrates. It was decided to send a further specimen to the Ministry of Health's
pathological laboratory. This examination proved negative and no evidence could be found
of the cause of the illness of these patients. All the patients made a fairly quick recovery.
Four members of another family were reported by a medical practitioner as suffering
from severe sickness and diarrhoea due to eating fried fish. The usual enquiries were made
but no evidence of infection was obtained. Bacteriological examination was also made of the
patients' stools with negative result.
The remaining five cases appeared to be minor gastric disturbances.
DISINFECTION
The premises disinfected numbered 1,067. The articles removed to the Borough
Council's Disinfecting Station totalled 9,557 and included 1,055 beds, 317 mattresses,
2,146 pillows, 470 bolsters and 5,569 other articles such as sheets, blankets, quilts,
curtains, carpets, clothing and the like.
SHELTER
It was not found necessary to remove any contacts to the Shelter which is
provided under Section 195, sub-section 4, of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936.
VENEREAL DISEASES
The London County Council is the authority responsible for the provision of
facilities for the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases and special clinics are held
in various voluntary hospitals and in other institutions. None of these is actually
within the boundaries of the borough, but those of the Metropolitan, the London,
the Royal Free and University College Hospitals are readily accessible to the people
of Shoreditch. Lists of these centres are displayed in the public conveniences in
the borough and can also be seen in the Health Department.
The times at which these clinics are open will be found on page 20 of this report.