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A further suggestion was made that each consignment should
be held pending sampling by the Health Department.
In August, 1956, a third circular was addressed to bakers and
confectioners in view of several apparently isolated cases of food
poisoning in the Borough. This circular stated that the risk of
food poisoning would continue until ingredients are free of harmful
bacteria, and until such safety is assured, the only weapon is
scrupulous cleanliness and the separation of imitation cream (which
is safe and pure as it arrives from the manufacturer) from other
bakery products, especially imported egg products. In effect this
means separate equipment and personnel to deal exclusively with
imitation cream.
FOOD POISONING
"Notified" Cases.
Forty-two cases of food poisoning were notified by medical
practitioners during the year. The organisms concerned in the
various "incidents" were Salmonella Typhi Murium 9, Salmonella
Enteriditis 5, Coagulase Positive Staphylococci 4, Clostridium
Welchii 2, Staphylococci + Salmonella Typhi Murium 1. In the
remainder the causal organisms were not identified.
The vehicles possibly implicated were the following :—tinned
fish, tinned meat, tinned chicken, boiled ham, stewed steak (precooked),
meat pie, pork sausage, pork pie, peasepudding and minced
meat.
One case was fatal in an adult male who died following infection
from Cl. welchii Type A.8. Apparently at that time there was
no recorded fatality of this kind in the medical literature.
" Ascertained " Cases.
(a) Three single cases and five cases in one family came to the
attention of the Department other than by notification. The causal
organisms were not identified.
(b) Eight cases (of which only 2 were "notified") occurred in
a cafe used by workers from an industrial concern after the consumption
of pre-cooked stewed steak which gave a growth of
CI. welchii. All the six cafe employees gave negative specimens, but
four of the patients produced Cl. welchii type 3.
In two cases the infection was contracted abroad.
(c) In April five children were absent from one of the Special
Schools. Food and faecal specimens were examined, but all were
negative. The symptoms described resembled those of Cl. welchii
food poisoning, i.e. diarrhoea and pain without vomiting.
A fuller account of the following outbreaks is given in the