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(vii) Foreign Bodies in Food.
15 complaints were received during 1956 of the presence of foreign
bodies in foodstuffs. All were investigated and legal proceedings were
taken in two cases. A fine of £10, plus £2 4s. 8d. costs was imposed in
one case and the other was dismissed on payment of £5 5s. costs. Letters
of warning were also sent in four other cases.
(viii) Food Poisoning.
By virtue of Section 82 of the llford Corporation Act, 1937, food
poisoning became compulsorily notifiable in llford as from 1st October,
1938. It is also notifiable under Section 17, Food and Drugs Act, 1955.
Fifty-one notifications were received.
One outbreak occurred involving 3 persons but only 1 person was
actually notified, the cause of the outbreak being due to Salmonella Typhimurium
organisms.
There were 8 other outbreaks when 28 persons were notified. 35 persons
journeyed as a party from Luton to Southend-on-Sea. On the way home
a number of the party were taken ill and II were admitted to an llford
Hospital and notified as suffering from food poisoning. The cause of the
illness in these outbreaks was not discovered, no pathogenic organisms
being traced.
An outbreak occurred at a local hospital involving four persons but
none were notified. It was suggested that the cause was due to Staphylococci
and a patient (who was a long term patient at the hospital) died, the cause
of death being certified following a post mortem as " Food poisoning,
arteriosclerosis and hypertension and diabetes mellitus." Tinned peas
which had remained on a service trolley over a period of fifty hours and
had been subject to a warming up process were regarded as the possible
cause of the outbreak.
22 singles cases were notified but in only 2 was the organism of
Salmonella Typhi-murium identified.
Investigation of 17 other suspected outbreaks were also made during
the year.
(ix) Bakehouses.—There are 24 bakehouses in the district, all of
which use motive power, 511 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 4 instances, and the requests were complied
with in all but one case, where work was in progress.
Diseases of Animals Act, 1950.
(i) The Foot and Mouth Disease (Infected Areas) Special Order
No. 8. 1956.—This order declared an area around Brentwood (including
llford) to be an infected area, as fiom 8.5.1956.
20 cattle dispatched from Norwich were un-trucked at Goodmayes
railway siding thereby becoming affected by the Order and so preventing
their delivery to North London. In the circumstances the Ministry of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Inspector issued a licence for them to be
transferred to Romford for immediate slaughter. The Order was revoked
by the Foot and Mouth Disease (Infected Areas) Special Order No. 13,
1956, which amended the infected area, thus excluding llford as from
6th June, 1956.
(ii) The Swine Fever (Infected Areas Restrictions) Order. 1956This
Order came into force on 19.11.56, and applies to the whole of Great
Britain. Its purpose is to enable restrictions to be speedily imDO'.ed. when
necessary, on the marketing and movement of swine in areas where swine
fever is prevalent,