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16.
BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS.
The Public Health Laboratory Service at Colindale, which is directed by the
Medical Research Council for the Ministry of Health, continued to carry out
examinations of swabs, specimens, etc on behalf of this Council.
The record of examinations carried out during the year is as follows:-
Nose and throat swabs:
Diphtheria Bacilli present 2
Haemolytic streptococci present 34
Organisms of Vincent's Angina
present 3
Negative results 206
Total 245
Faeces specimens:
Shigella sonnei isolated 303
Salmonella isolated 1
Negative results 487
Total 791
Milk samples 24
Ice Cream samples 18
Swimming bath water 5
FOOD POISONING.
No outbreak of Food Poisoning occurred during the year, the only notifications
being individual cases as follows:-
(1) Man (26) and wife (27), the suspected food being roast beef This
meat was stated by patients to have been cooked for 30 - 40 minutes
at Regulo 6 on a gas cooker (425°F.) on the day that it was bought
and then reheated for 45 minutes at the same temperature the following
day. Sample of the meat remaining was submitted for bacteriological
examination and was found to contain organisms of Cl.welchii. Faeces
specimens from the patients were examined and organisms of Cl.welchii
were present. Duration of the illness was from 2-5 days.
(2) Man (35), the suspected food being braised beef eaten at a works
canteen in Wembley at which an outbreak of food poisoning was notified.
Report on the sample of meat submitted for bacteriological examination
by the local authority revealed the presence of Cl welchii.
(3) Boy (2½), the suspected food being duck eggs Child was removed to
hospital suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting and this department was
subsequently informed that organisms of Salmonella Typhi Murium had been
isolated Duration of illness was 6 weeks.
None of the suspected meat in the above cases was purchased in this borough.