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(viii) Food Poisoning.
By virtue of Section 82 of the Ilford Corporation Act, 1937, food
poisoning became compulsorily notifiable in Ilford as from 1st October,
1938. It is also notifiable under Section 17, Food and Drugs Act, 1938.
Fifty notifications were received during the year.
An outbreak occurred at Barley Lane School commencing early in
July. The outbreak affected 40 persons, 36 children and 4 adults (the Head
Teacher and her daughter, the welfare worker and the school secretary).
The symptoms were common to all those affected, viz., abdominal
pains, sickness and diarrhoea. All recovered quickly but many continued
to return positive Salmonella typhi-murium organisms in faecal swabs, a
few until late August.
The investigation showed that the affected persons had partaken of
sandwiches prepared by a class teacher made from bread and butter and
mustard and cress, the latter grown in the classroom. The lint pads on
which the cress had been grown were recovered and forwarded to the
Public Health Laboratories at Colindale where Salmonella Typhi-murium
was isolated from the lint pad and growing mustard and cress.
It proved impossible to ascertain how the mustard and cress became
infected, and it was not possible to procure further samples of seed from
the original batch.
Entirely unconnected with the above, four outbreaks occurred involving
27 persons, three being due to Salmonella typhi-murium and one to
Staphylococci organisms. A further four outbreaks involving eight persons
occurred but the cause was not discovered. There were also fifteen single
cases the agent being identified in 6 instances as Salmonella typhi-murium.
Sixteen other investigations of suspected outbreaks were also dealt
with but no notifications were received.
(ix) Bakehouses.—There are 25 bakehouses in the district, all of
which use motive power, 506 inspections of bakehouses were carried out
during the year.
It was necessary to call upon the occupiers of bakehouses to carry out
cleansing and other work in 11 instances, and the requests were complied
with in all but two cases, where work was in progress.
Diseases of Animals Act, 1950.
(i) The Foot and Mouth Disease (Infected Areas) Special Orders
Nos. 5, 7, 8 and 9, 1955.—These Orders restricted the movement of animals
within the areas specified, which did not include llford.
(ii) Swine Fever—Regulation of Movement of Swine Order, 1954.
Regulation of Movement of Swine (Amendment) Order, 1955.—One
licence was received for entry into the Borough of 6 pigs. They were
satisfactorily isolated, as required by the Order.
(iii) Swine Fever (Infected Districts) Order and (Amendment)
Order, 1955.—These Orders were introduced as a result of the increase
of Swine Fever in certain areas, the County of Essex being District No. 2.
The Order prescribed rules regularising the sale, exhibition or gathering of
swine in any market, fairground or saleyard, and controlled the movement
of swine into, out of. and within, the districts under licence. During the
period the restrictions were in operation licences were issued for the movement
of 184 pigs out of the Borough and for entry into the Borough of
28 pigs.
(iv) Swine Fever (Infected Districts) (Amendment) No. 2 Order,
1955.—This Order removed the County of Essex from the prescribed area.
(v) Swine Fever (Infected Districts) Revocation) Order, 1955.—
This Order ended the restrictions imposed.