Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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FOOD POISONING
One outbreak of food poisoning in the Borough occurred
at an Old People's residence, when 18 persons were taken ill
following a luncheon meal, which consisted of meat pie, gravy,
mashed potatoes, carrots, and rice pudding. Two to three
hours later three of the persons reported ill, and during the
following night fifteen others were taken ill. In all cases
the illness was mild and of between 6-l8 hours' duration.
A number of the patients was found to be harbouring C. Welchii.
The meat used for the pie had been cooked two days earlier
and allowed to cool, and was then placed in a refrigerator; it
was made into meat pies and gravy and further cooked on the
morning of the day on which it was consumed. No specimens of
the meal could be obtained for examination. Instructions were
given by the Matron that there should be no more pre-cooking
of meat.
Four single cases of food poisoning were also notified
during the year. In one case fried fish and chips which had
been consumed by an Eltham young man after being re-heated were
suspected. In another case canned meat was the food suspected
as causing food poisoning in an elderly lady, and in another
case poor food storage in the home may have been a contributory
factor. In none of these cases was it possible to obtain
bacteriological corroboration of the suspicions.
TABLE NO. 16
NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES (EXCLUDING TUBERCULOSIS), 1960
Under 1 yr. | 1-4 yrs. | 5-14 yrs. | 15-44 yrs. | 45-64 yrs. | 65 and over | Total | Admitted to Hospital. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scarlet Fever Meningococcal | 1 | 16 | 46 | 2 | – | – | 65 | 3 |
Infection | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 10 | 10 |
Erysipelas | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | - |
Dysentery zymotic | 5 | 13 | 9 | 18 | 3 | 6 | 54 | 7 |
Enteritis | 7 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 32 | 15 |
Pneumonia | 2 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 18 | 45 | 5 | |
Food Poisoning Puerperal | – | 2 | – | 2 | – | 18 | 22 | 2 |
Pyrexia Ophthalmia | – | – | – | 68 | – | – | 68 | 68 |
Neonatorum | 14 | – | – | — | – | – | 14 | 6 |
Whooping Cough | 11 | 43 | 53 | 1 | – | – | 108 | 7 |
Measles | 2 | 15 | 2 | - | – | – | 19 | 4 |
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