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son fell ill together; S. typhimurium was recovered from both. In December,
many who attended a staff party in London fell ill. Only one of
the five people in this district who had symptoms was notified. S. typhimurium
was the cause of the trouble.
There were three occurrences suggestive of food poisoning involving
more than one person but where no food poisoning organisms were
recovered on examination of the faeces of the patients. Two were members
of a luncheon club outside the district; salmon was suspected, but
no food poisoning organisms were recovered from it. An adult female
fell ill with the same symptoms as a number of others at her place of
work outside the district, at which there was a staff canteen; none of the
members of her family at home was ill. A boy of seventeen was the only
one of a family of three who was notified, though in fact all three had the
same symptoms. There were four occurrences which suggested food
poisoning though no bacteriological examinations were carried out. The
first was a girl of fourteen who was one of some forty sufferers amongst
the pupils at a school outside the district which had a school canteen.
Two children aged four and two fell ill simultaneously, the other members
of the family remaining well. A girl of twenty-five was one of some
forty sufferers who had food from a canteen at some works outside the
district. A mother and her boy of six fell ill while the father and another
child remained well; the sufferers had eaten sausages which were not
consumed by those who did not fall ill.
There were ten single cases. From eight of these a food poisoning
organism was recovered; in four this was S. typhimurium, in one S. Anatum
and two salmonellae not specified. From the faeces of a boy of eight
no food poisoning organisms were recovered; because his mother worked
in a canteen, examination was carried out of the faeces and CI. welchii
was recovered. Of the other two single cases, one was a baby from
whom no food poisoning organism was recovered who was already ill
when he was being brought into the district; and in the other case no
tests were carried out.
In the twelve grouped occurrences, S. typhimurium was responsible
for five, S. Heidelberg for one. Of the ten single cases, salmonellae, of
one sort or another, accounted for seven, CI. welchii probably for one.
The first of the cases was notified in April. From then on the only
month in which there were no notifications was August. Most occurrences
were in July and September when there were five in each
month. Nine of the cases occurred in the second quarter, 13 in the third
and 9 in the last.
Each year the Public Health Laboratory Service publishes a report
about Food Poisoning in the country as a whole. That for 1958 recorded
about in incidence of 3 per cent on the numbers for 1957. The report
says; ''it becomes clearer each year that food poisoning in England and
ales is largely a matter of salmonellosis. Recent studies have uncovered
numerous hitherto unsuspected sources of infection. What is now needed
is application of control measures to the known sources, and in
particular to egg products. Until control is applied, no great change in
the incidence of salmonellosis can be expected."